South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership
News
12 Apr 2022
RIDER SAFETY TAKES NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
A National Fire Chiefs’ campaign is highlighting free first aid training as part of a bid to reduce the number of motorcyclists killed or seriously injured.
BikerDown, which is delivered locally by the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership (SYSRP) central team, is an interactive workshop offering riders the chance to learn basic first aid as well as awareness of road traffic collision management.
It is hoped that by booking on to a session, held at Lifewise in Rotherham, riders who may find themselves first on the scene of a collision, will have the skills to potentially save lives.
Joanne Wehrle, manager of SYSRP, said: “As a rider you are more likely to filter through stationary traffic and be confronted with a collision, or come across an incident on remote country roads.
“Although BikerDown centres around a collision involving a rider, the skills and knowledge are equally as useful if you come across any vehicle whether four, three or two-wheeled.
“By responding quickly, you may prevent someone from being seriously injured or even save their life.”
Despite motorcycles making up around 1 per cent of vehicle traffic, in 2020 they accounted for 20 per cent of road fatalities and 12 per cent of road injuries in Great Britain.
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) motorcycle safety week, which runs until Sunday (17 April), will highlight key safety messages, including the importance of bike maintenance and wearing the correct riding kit.
Riders will also be encouraged to brush up on their riding skills at a time when many will be returning to the road after a significant break.
Joanne added: “We will be sharing help and advice on everything from wearing the right kit, to practical riding advice. We will also highlight the fantastic range of courses and refresher sessions available to riders in our county.
“This includes the Enhanced Rider Scheme, South Yorkshire Police’s BikeSafe courses, and our own local IAM Advanced Motorbike groups, RAM (Rotherham Advanced Motorcyclists), and SAM (Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists).”
Tony Crook, NFCC lead for road safety, added: “With an increase in the number of people using motorbikes for both commuting and enjoyment, our aim is to encourage riders to do all they can to ride safe and ensure they do all they can to be visible on the road.
“This campaign at the beginning of the motorcycling season is a great opportunity for all partners to deliver a range of safety messages across the UK.”
For more information or to book on an upcoming course visit: https://sysrp.co.uk/bikerdown
You can also follow the campaign on our social media channels @SYSaferRoads #thinkbike.
BikerDown, which is delivered locally by the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership (SYSRP) central team, is an interactive workshop offering riders the chance to learn basic first aid as well as awareness of road traffic collision management.
It is hoped that by booking on to a session, held at Lifewise in Rotherham, riders who may find themselves first on the scene of a collision, will have the skills to potentially save lives.
Joanne Wehrle, manager of SYSRP, said: “As a rider you are more likely to filter through stationary traffic and be confronted with a collision, or come across an incident on remote country roads.
“Although BikerDown centres around a collision involving a rider, the skills and knowledge are equally as useful if you come across any vehicle whether four, three or two-wheeled.
“By responding quickly, you may prevent someone from being seriously injured or even save their life.”
Despite motorcycles making up around 1 per cent of vehicle traffic, in 2020 they accounted for 20 per cent of road fatalities and 12 per cent of road injuries in Great Britain.
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) motorcycle safety week, which runs until Sunday (17 April), will highlight key safety messages, including the importance of bike maintenance and wearing the correct riding kit.
Riders will also be encouraged to brush up on their riding skills at a time when many will be returning to the road after a significant break.
Joanne added: “We will be sharing help and advice on everything from wearing the right kit, to practical riding advice. We will also highlight the fantastic range of courses and refresher sessions available to riders in our county.
“This includes the Enhanced Rider Scheme, South Yorkshire Police’s BikeSafe courses, and our own local IAM Advanced Motorbike groups, RAM (Rotherham Advanced Motorcyclists), and SAM (Sheffield Advanced Motorcyclists).”
Tony Crook, NFCC lead for road safety, added: “With an increase in the number of people using motorbikes for both commuting and enjoyment, our aim is to encourage riders to do all they can to ride safe and ensure they do all they can to be visible on the road.
“This campaign at the beginning of the motorcycling season is a great opportunity for all partners to deliver a range of safety messages across the UK.”
For more information or to book on an upcoming course visit: https://sysrp.co.uk/bikerdown
You can also follow the campaign on our social media channels @SYSaferRoads #thinkbike.
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