Young motorbike riders have voiced their frustration at the difficulties they have in obtaining good advice on training, and where to find good quality riding gear, in a landmark research project organised by the National Young Rider Forum (NYRF).
Carried out with funding from The Road Safety Trust and support from Agilysis, the Young Riders Matter project posed a series of questions to riders aged 16-24 years. This age group made up a worrying 29% of all motorcycling casualties who were killed or seriously injured between 2019 and 2023. A further 22,161 were injured.
Most casualties were riding bikes with engines ranging from 51 to 125cc.
The good news is that the riders clearly take their safety seriously. The survey found riders are aware of their vulnerabilities and displayed good knowledge about the importance of helmet choice, maintenance, and wearing it correctly.
With regards the personal protective equipment (PPE), the majority said they wore leather or textile gloves, jackets and boots. There were a minority who reported wearing hoodies, jeans or trainers and few respondents stated that they wore a leather one-piece suit, air vests or Hi-Viz or reflective gear.
But finding good gear online was labelled a ‘minefield’ and it was hard to find a ‘trusted voice’ they could turn to.
Most said they would like to find a local in-person supplier who could discuss safety issues and provide advice on accredited gear.
Young riders were also keen to find opportunities to improve their bike skills and knowledge, with many wanting to access hazard perception courses, pre-CBT learning, theory tests, and post-CBT support, but struggled to know where to go for advice.
The research also showed that the majority of crashes involving young riders take place in urban areas close to their homes, at the weekend or on week day afternoons. The key danger spots where riders were most likely to have a collision with a car were T-junctions.
The survey also found that riders came disproportionately from deprived inner city areas.
Ruth Purdie OBE, chief executive of The Road Safety Trust, said: “It’s so important that we carefully look at the experiences of young motorcyclists. By understanding factors such as their motivation for riding, the choices they make or where they get their information from, we can work to find effective solutions to prevent further tragedies.”
Heidi Duffy MBE, facilitator of the NYRF, said: “This is the most comprehensive research project into young motorcyclists to date, and is desperately needed across the UK.
“This project has placed the voices and views of the young at the centre, something which is very important to the NYRF.
“The aim is for this project to be the focal point for the NYRF – and other stakeholders – supporting young riders going forwards.”