Police campaign to cut biker death numbers

Police are launching a campaign which hopes to reduce the number of bikers who are being killed or seriously injured on the North East's roads.
A biker.A biker.
A biker.

From Monday, officers with Northumbria Police are participating in the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) ‘National Motor Cycle Week of Action’ campaign.

Since the start of 2018 to date, three motorcyclists have been killed and 22 seriously injured in road traffic collisions across the Northumbria Police Area.

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This campaign, which runs until Sunday, September 3, aims to limit the number of motorcyclists killed or seriously injured on our roads by raising awareness and offering a range of educational courses to riders and motorists.

During the upcoming week of action, officers from across the Force will engage with riders and promote the many educational courses available.

These courses which are run in conjunction with Tyne & Wear Fire and Rescue, are designed to assist motorcyclists in their general riding and offer an opportunity for individuals to learn basic first aid which would enable them to treat any injured parties at collision scenes.

Officers will be stopping motorcyclists and motorists throughout the week, enforcing road traffic legislation and giving some offenders the opportunity to attend a Rider Intervention and Developing Experience (RIDE) course, as oppose to prosecution.

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Sergeant Matt Sykes, of Northumbria Police’s Operation Dragoon , said: “It has never been more important to reiterate these road safety messages and highlight the vulnerability of road users.

“Every time somebody gets into a car or onto a bike, they are taking a small risk.

"It is therefore imperative to keep educating our road users about the potential challenges they may face every day, and take measures to ensure that level of risk remains as low as possible.

“This week of action is a way for us to keep road safety in the forefront of people’s minds.

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"Ultimately, our aim is to work with motorists and communities to improve safety on our roads and reduce the number of fatalities in our region.

“However, while we will be proactively engaging with motorcyclists and drivers during this Week of Action, our role is about more than simply detecting and prosecuting offenders.

“We want to ensure all riders and motorists have the correct skills and knowledge to travel safely on our roads, and there are a wide range of educational courses available for people to help achieve that goal.

“These courses offer real-life scenarios and expert guidance on how best to keep yourself and those around you safe from harm, and I would encourage everyone to take part – regardless of experience or perceived skill level.”

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Details about the courses can be found on https://www.facebook.com/bikerdowntyneandwear/

A similar week of action was run in May to raise awareness and understanding among general motorists as well as motorcyclists about potential dangers of the road, and police are keen to build on that over the coming days.