Warning after bike crashes spate

Police are warning motorcyclists to take extra care

Safety campaigners have issued warnings after five motorcyclist deaths in the last two weeks on the roads of mid and north Wales.

The latest casualty was Paul Anthony Sanders, 44, from the Burton-on-Trent area who died near Maentwrog on Sunday.

There have been 12 deaths in mid and north Wales since January.

Paul Cheshire, co-ordinator of the North Wales Police Bikesafe campaign recommended that all riders should attend an advanced biking course.

The risk of death for a motorcyclist was 30 times greater than for a car driver, he said.

Awareness of safety

Former police officer Mr Cheshire, who works as the only civilian co-ordinator of a Bikesafe scheme in Wales, said he hoped the fatalities would raise awareness of safety within the biking community.

Mr Cheshire would not comment on individual cases but he said that a spate of motorcyclist fatalities normally followed a spell of good weather with many bikers only venturing out on a sunny day.

ACCIDENT RIDER PROFILE Crashes tend to happen in rural areas on left-hand bends Accidents occur on sunny weekends Bikes are often sports replica machines Riders will be male over 35 years old Source: Bikesafe

"Bike riding is a spasmodic occupation as not many people use them to go to work every day," said Mr Cheshire,

"Nationally the average mileage for a bike is 3,000 miles a year and some riders do just 200- 300 miles," he added.

A profile has been compiled showing the motorcyclists most likely to be at risk of an accident.

"We have noticed also that many bikers have an accident in the afternoon so there might be an association with fatigue from maybe using a bike inappropriate for how they ride," he added.

"Often the weakest link will be the person on the back of the bike. Passing a test is not enough, there needs to be an awareness of road craft, an advanced riding course should be compulsory," Mr Cheshire added.

Education is key

According to statistics bikers are 30 times more likely to die in a road accident than people in cars yet bikes make up just one percent of traffic.

Further education is the key, said Mr Cheshire.

"A lot is basic common sense, but an advanced course would teach people to recognise hazards, to anticipate them, and to plan their approach," he added.

"We should all take responsibility for ourselves, and ask ourselves if we have to appropriate level of skill required," he added.

Anyone with information about any bike accidents are urged to call the police on 0845 607 1001 (Welsh) or 0845 607 1002 (English).