Response to MCIA CEO Tony Campbells call for a major rethink on motorcycle safety

https://www.mcia.co.uk/posts/motorcycle-industry-association-mcia-ceo-calls-for-major-rethink-on-motorcycle-safety

In response to the call, below are some suggestions for a new strategy for motorcycle casualty reduction.

1. Motorcycle Braking and Cornering

1. Riding Test to include:-
   • emergency braking from 60 mph (currently 30 mph).
   • cornering on rural roads
   • banking a motorcycle to at least 30 degrees on corners
2. Riders to be trained to:-
   • brake safely into and around corners in an emergency.
   • to countersteer.
3. Ensure riders are aware of ‘target fixation’ and ‘you go where you are looking‘.
4. Current DVSA advice on emergency braking to apply front brake before the rear to be reviewed and changed to applying both brakes at same time.
5. New suggested cornering lines to be published, with a wide entry and late apex for increased safety.
6. Linked ABS to be mandatory for all PTWs over 50cc, specifically including 125cc which are currently exempt, as these are the PTWs that riders learn to ride on.
7. A maximum tyre age – suggest 10 years – for motorcycles to be enforced at MOT.

2. Safety Campaigns

1. Focus to move away from speeding – to braking, reaction times, paying proper attention, and duty of care.
2. New focus on thoughtless, careless and reckless driving and riding, advising of the illusion of safety in vehicles, and the consequences of collisions for vehicle occupants and riders, particularly above 30 mph, using case studies.
3. Car drivers to be made aware that occupants can be killed by a side impact from a motorcycle at a junction.
4. Motorcycle riders to be made aware of the dangers of cornering on rural roads.
5. ‘Know the Dangers’ presentation on T junctions to be promoted more effectively.
6. Oil and diesel leaks from vehicles, overfilling, leaking caps and poor maintenance.
7. Further research by Professor Alex Stedmon on road markings to be pursued.

3. Pre-emptive Interventions

1. High risk drivers and riders to be identified via effective road policing and the use of traffic cameras.
2. All collisions, even minor, to be reported to the police. 
3. Insurance companies to be required to advise the police of any reported collisions.
4. ‘Crash Awareness’ courses for drivers and riders involved in any collision.
5. Compulsory retraining and assessments for identified high risk or convicted drivers or riders.
6. Reintroduction of ‘RIDE’ safety courses nationwide for motorcyclists.

4. E-Scooters and E-PTWs

1. E-Scooters to be banned and replaced with E-Cycles (or similar self powered PTW with footrests or footboards instead of pedals) which can meet Highway Code braking standards and negotiate kerbs etc. safely.
2. Any PTW (or powered single, 3 or 4-wheeler) to be required to meet reasonable safety standards, even for use on private land, particularly braking. This to include currently ‘Ball boards’, ‘Hover boards’, ‘Powered Unicycles’ and ‘Powered Skate Boards’ etc.

5. New Road Accesses

1. The Law to be changed to require approval for any new access to the road network, not just to classified roads.
2. Planning permissions, where these involve safety issues including minimum driveway widths, turning areas, visibility splays and surfacing to be rigidly enforced by local councils, and by the Justice system.

6. Traffic Enforcement

1. Illegal parking with 10 metres of road junctions to be enforced.

7. Training

1. ‘Down Training’ (sitting next to Nellie) for learner trainers to be replaced with a professional vocational course and qualification, including appropriate theory.
2. Change the Law so that anyone training riders commercially on the public highway, including post-test, must be licenced by the DVSA under current arrangements
3. Post Test and Young Rider Motorcycle classroom theory training workshops to be promoted and delivered nationwide. (‘SharpRider’ and ‘Twang’ previously designed and delivered for local Road Safety partnerships are available FOC to use nationwide).

8. Motorcycle Safety Equipment

1. CE approved neck braces to be investigated for all motorcycle riders.

The Intention is to publish further posts on the above subjects to provide more detail, and provoke further discussion.

I hope that this response will spark a useful debate which will result in a new agreed more effective and rational strategy to reduce motorcycle fatalities and serious injuries.

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The ideas are based on over 50 years of riding and racing motorcycles, 14 years experience of working with the local Road Safety Partnerships, the Police, Fire Service BikeSafe, RoSPA, IAM, the DVSA and ACU, fellow trainers and coaches, assessing and training over 2,000 motorcycle riders on road and track, and is also based on published road safety data.

I am also a time-served automotive engineer (Ford), a qualified FE Teacher, and have an MBA which has given me a basic understanding of psychology.

Mike Abbott MBA, RoADAR (Dip), DVSA RPMT 800699, ACU Coach #62210

The British Superbike School

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