TRANSPORT FOR LONDON has launched a major road safety campaign to protect motorcyclists by asking car, van and lorry drivers to ‘take another look’ for them before manoeuvring.
The campaign comes on the back of research that found many drivers think motorcyclists ‘come out of nowhere’ when they are driving through London, when in fact they are simply less visible and easy to miss amid the busy roads of the capital. The slim silhouette of a motorbike, scooter or moped is often lost among the tall SUVs and vans we see on the roads, while road infrastructure such as traffic lights and direction boards, building works and busy pavements crowded with pedestrians can also play a part in masking two-wheel riders.
The campaign asks all road users to look again for powered two wheelers, in the hope that ‘taking another look’ will prevent them ‘from taking a life’.
The campaign is backed by a powerful true-life story of a beloved husband and father of two who lost his life while riding to work on his motorbike, after a car driver failed to spot him before they began a manoeuvre into his path. The video is backed by the moving words of his widow, appealing for drivers to look again for motorcycles.
TFL’s road safety team said the campaign was a hugely important part of its drive to reduce KSI (killed, seriously injured) statistics among London’s motorbike riders.
“Every year over 800 motorcyclists are killed or seriously injured on London’s roads, and we know that motorcyclists are 39 times more likely than car drivers to be killed or seriously injured per journey.
“These figures highlight why we need all drivers so look out for at-risk riders: they are often hard to see, but very easy to kill or injure.
“We know that drivers think riders ‘come out of nowhere’ but in truth, it is simply that motorbikes are much harder to see than cars and vans, and often slip into blind spots because they are small.
“We want drivers to proactively look for riders and ask themselves if a motorbike could be hidden in a blind spot, particularly before they start a manoeuvre such as pulling out or turning right. Failing to look for a motorbike poses a real threat to their safety.”
Training from TfL
People considering taking up motorcycling are encouraged to access one of TfL’s free
motorcycle training courses before they take their Compulsory Basic Training (CBT).
Further information about all courses can be found at https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/safety/road-safety-advice/motorcycling-in-london
