The Kent & Medway Safety Camera Partnership is stepping up enforcement levels on the county’s roads in a bid to cut the number of motorcyclists killed or seriously injured each year.
The Partnership is using special ‘Commander’ vehicles alongside existing mobile cameras to provide 360° vision around safety camera units. The ‘Commander’ technology is designed to identify motorcycle offenders by recording a number of images from different angles, including the bike’s registration. Until now, camera operators have had to rely on taking a note of the number plate once the bike has passed. One camera films the rider as he or she approaches while a laser device measures their speed. More cameras on the side of the van then film the motorcycle as it passes and
proceeds along the road.
The safety camera vans will be out in force throughout the summer, targeting specific roads used by motorcyclists as well as prominent locations such as around bike cafes. Katherine Barrett, Communications Officer for the Kent & Medway Safety Camera Partnership, said: "We hope to discourage motorcyclists from speeding in the first place because prevention is better than a fine and points on your licence. It’s all about keeping our roads safe and deterring hazardous behaviour that puts lives at risk. We don’t measure our success in terms of an increase in the number of people detected speeding. We don’t want to catch bikers, we just want them to slow down.
Despite representing just over 1% of road traffic, motorcyclists account for one in every four road deaths and serious injuries. In Kent, 180 bikers were killed or seriously injured between April 2009 and March 2010, with 480 more suffering slight injuries.
Chief Inspector Andy Reeves, Head of Kent Police’s Roads Policing Unit, said: "The number of riders who are seriously injured in motorbike collisions is disproportionately high compared with other road users, which is obviously a concern. We do appreciate that summer is a time of year when motorcyclists will spend more time riding on Kent's roads, because the days are longer and warmer, and we want them to be able to enjoy using their bikes, but it has to be done safely."
One of the top causes of bike crashes that result in injury to the rider is other drivers failing to spot them. The Partnership is urging motorists to be more vigilant, particularly when changing lanes, turning or pulling out of a junction. Drivers are also being warned to keep their distance, as driving too close can intimidate a less experienced motorcyclist.
While many crashes resulting in injury are caused by other drivers failing to see bikers, fatalities are often down to riders losing control, typically on a bend, with excessive or inappropriate speed frequently playing a major factor.
Said Chief Inspector Reeves: "Most motorcycle collisions happen in fine weather and on dry roads. On a nice summer’s day some people may be tempted to ride faster than they should, but the consequences of riding too fast can be devastating for the rider, their family and others."
Wearing the right clothing was also vital to protect against injury, he added: "Protective clothing that contains fluorescent and reflective material will help keep motorcyclists visible. Jeans and a T-shirt might feel cool in the summer but if you come off a bike even at the slowest speed, you can end up with third degree burns or worse."
MOTORCYCLE FACTS:
- In the last three years, 60 motorcyclists have been killed in Kent and almost 500 have been seriously injured.
- Motorcycles were involved in 13 personal injury crashes (PICs) every week in Kent between April 2009 and March 2010; 15% of all PICs across the county.
- Motorcyclists are one of the most vulnerable road users and are 54 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a road crash than a car or van driver.
- Motorcycles are the most dangerous mode of transport. Although less than 3% of British households own a motorcycle, riders suffer death or serious injury more disproportionately than any other mode of transport user, accounting for 25% of those killed or badly injured nationally every year.