With the recent release of road casualty figures by the UK Department for Transport (DfT), motorcycling has again shown a decrease, this time by an excellent 10% to a total of 362 fatalities in the year 2010/11.
Every fatality is one too many and MAG offers condolences to the families of those who have tragically lost their lives in road accidents, but it is continued proof that motorcycling is doing its utmost to get its own house in order. Improved rider training at all levels and campaigns to raise awareness among other road users, -‘think biker’- as well as campaigns around road infrastructure are all playing a part in reducing casualties.
MAG’s Get A Grip campaign is aiming to banish slippery manhole covers, white lines and crack in fill from the road network, because consistent grip is important to single track vehicles and new technology, which is readily available, should be employed.
The 10% decrease in fatalities is a continuing trend for motorcycling, but it should be noted that motorcycle traffic actually increased over the same time. 0.9% may not be a significant increase, but it does demonstrate that the decrease in fatalities was not due to fewer motorcycle miles being travelled.
Casualties amongst cyclists were up (4%) in the same period, as were those involving car occupants (6%) and most alarmingly pedestrian (12%).
It can only be speculation but are all the passive safety aids provided within cars perhaps now isolating drivers from the realities of sharing the road network with more vulnerable user groups, especially those who are not being trained to counteract the behaviour of poor drivers?