Bikers top accident league

Date published: 18 September 2007

Motorcyclists living in the OL postcode area are most at risk of having an accident anywhere outside London and Hertfordshire, according to new figures.

Research by the UK’s largest motorcycle insurance specialist, Carole Nash, discovered that bikers living in the OL postcode area — which includes Rochdale — were more than five times more likely to have an accident than those in the lowest risk area, the Isle of Man.

The study of all the accident claims the company received last year, from among 230,000 people it insures, found that while London dominated the risk league, outside the capital, only St Albans and Watford had worse accident records than Oldham.

But other motorists, rather than bikers themselves, could be to blame — leading to calls for changes to the UK driving test to better protect bikers.

Carole Nash’s operations director, Dave Bowcock, said: "Sadly, this is the second year running that bikers living in the OL postcode area have fared this badly in our accident survey.

"However, more than 70 per cent of accidents were not the fault of the insured rider but other road users, which is broadly in line with the national picture.

"This suggests much more needs to be done to educate drivers about the dangers they can present to motorcyclists.

"It is long overdue for action to be taken to ensure that much greater emphasis is placed on bike awareness in the driver training and testing regime."

Mr Bowcock was backed by the British Motorcyclists Federation, whose PR manager, Jeff Stone, said: "This research proves what the BMF has always maintained, that driver awareness, not just rider training, is essential.

"There is a crying need for motorists and other drivers to be made more aware of the motorcyclist, but equally for riders to be aware of their vulnerability.

"Better bike awareness training and testing for drivers and encouragement of inexperienced riders to take training in defensive riding skills is a must if we are to reduce accidents."

The findings also show that young and inexperienced riders, particularly those with provisional licences, were at significantly higher risk of being involved in an accident, more so when they were not to blame, suggesting that riders themselves need to learn how to avoid the risks presented by other road users.