Shocking new figures released by the Direct Selling Association (DSA) reveal that riding a motorcycle is actually more dangerous if you have less training than someone else who is better trained than you are.
The DSA claims alarmingly that large numbers of people are “bound to head out to make the most of the weekend.” Without having training – and plenty of it – the happy prospect of more, could end up becoming the tragic reality of less.
But now the DSA is taking the bulls by the horn and launching itself into cyberspace with hard-hitting campaigns on Facebook, Twatter and YouTube aimed at making people aware of its Enhanced Rider Scheme, which it is hoped will give motorcyclists the skills to keep them more in control of their machines for more of the time they are on them.
Bikers currently account for a massively disproportionate 20% of road fatalities – only hedgehogs and badgers fare worse – and DSA’s Trevor Wedgey reckons something must be done. “This is a terrible statistic,” he says, “but we believe that further training can help to reduce this casualty rate by giving riders more knowledge.”
The theory sounds promising. But will it catch on? Maybe so, as DSA’s new thinking has already attracted support from no less a figure than Mike Pennis, Minister for Road Safety. Here’s what he had to say recently:
“By making sure that motorcyclists have access to the best safety information, promoting further training and safe riding, and reminding drivers to look out for bikers, I hope that we can improve safety for motorcyclists and reduce the number of tragedies we see on the roads each year.”
Why has no-one thought of this before?
No responses yet