Motorcyclists warned to take care over Easter

Simon Ettinghausen, Chair of the Local Authority Road Safety Officers' Association, says: "When you're involved in a crash your head is as fragile as an egg. We want people to have a safe and happy Easter. We urge people to take care on the roads and enjoy the bank holidays safely."

Already the lighter evenings and warmer weather have seen the number of motorcyclists out on the roads increasing and there have been a number of collisions around the country.

LARSOA is extremely concerned that the numbers of motorcyclists being killed and seriously injured will rise if both riders and drivers do not take more care.

"Despite the overall numbers of casualties reducing, motorcyclists still remain a high risk road user group and there constantly needs to be more education and awareness for both riders and drivers of what they should be doing to avoid collisions. Riders are clearly more vulnerable on their bikes without the surrounding protection of a four-wheeled vehicle," Simon explains.

LARSOA advises motorcyclists to drive carefully and defensively and not be tempted to ride faster than the speed limit or too fast for the conditions.

"Motorcyclists need to be aware of their own vulnerability and be especially careful when they are approaching hazards such as junctions, bends and when they are overtaking." Simon adds.

Tips for motorcyclists from LARSOA include:

Plan ahead when approaching junctions and roundabouts - common accidents occur when a car pulls into the path of a bike so motorcyclists need to be ready to take evasive actions.

Make sure you are visible to other drivers - remember motorcycles can easily be overlooked and hidden by lampposts and other street furniture.

Wear the correct protective clothing.

Slow down when approaching side roads and junctions - cars which have already started to pull out may be unable to stop if you approach suddenly.

Be alert for oncoming vehicles turning right into your path or the vehicle you are overtaking turning right.

Ensure your speed is correct for bends so you don't lose control and anticipate hazards that may arise suddenly.

Any motorcyclists who are concerned about their safety on the roads and want any advice should check out the LARSOA website on www.larsoa.org.uk or contact the road safety officers in their local council. A full checklist of road safety departments is also available on the website.

ABOUT LARSOA

LARSOA is a national road safety organisation representing road safety officers (RSOs) employed in local government across the UK.

LARSOA represents 185 of the 200 eligible local authorities across the UK, assisting RSOs to fulfil their statutory role to reduce the number and severity of road casualties through education, training and publicity programmes.

LARSOA publishes an up-to-date round-up of road safety news from across the UK on its website www.larsoa.org.uk .

LARSOA also aims to influence national debate - government policy and action together with public opinion. The association works to achieve national recognition for road safety issues, commissions research into behaviour which contributes to road collisions and develops national road safety campaigns.

The association assists in identifying achievable national targets to reduce the number of collisions on the country's roads.