Police warning to stay
safe on two wheels

Police across the UK are urging bikers and cyclists to stay safe on the roads as a national two wheel safety campaign kicks off this week.

Co-ordinated by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), the campaign will run until June 2 and will aim to reduce the number of deaths and injuries involving these vulnerable road users.

One of the forces involved, West Mercia Police, is encouraging those using two wheels to stay safe and urging all motorists to share the road responsibly to reduce the number of offences we continue to see involving motorcycles and bicycles.

Over the past 3 years, 32 people died and 353 were seriously injured in collisions involving a motorcycle in West Mercia. An additional 12 people died and 177 were injured in collisions involving a bicycle.

Cyclists and motorcyclists unfortunately feature heavily within road collisions and continue to be two of the most vulnerable road users.

The aim of the national campaign is to raise awareness amongst all road users to improve driver behaviour but also to educate both groups of the dangers of not having the correct skills, knowledge and personal protective equipment.

Superintendent Melanie Crowther for West Mercia Police comments: "Supporting this national campaign with local activities and increased enforcement is an important way of raising road safety issues amongst cyclists, motorcyclists and other road users.

“Unfortunately cyclists and motorcyclists are over-represented within our road collision statistics and we want to ensure we are doing all we can with both education and enforcement to keep these two groups safer.

“This not only means specific activity with these two groups but with all other motorists on the role they can play to keep our vulnerable road users safer."

As part of the campaign police officers will be taking part in operations across the two weeks to enforce compliance of road traffic regulations and improve driver/rider behaviour.