Roads need to be made safer after rise in motorcyclist deaths
- Mar 9, 2016
- EmmaArnold
The rise in motorcyclist deaths in London has left the government under pressure to make the roads safer.
A new report into motorcyclist safety, published by the Transport Committee, says how Transport for London (TfL) needs to pay more attention to the safety of motorcyclists.
The number of motorcyclists injured on the roads in London has increased by 21% since 2010 with 5,233 people injured in 2014.
Although motorcyclists account for only 1% of the traffic in London, they make up 17% of all injuries and 24% of serious accidents in the city.
The report found that, in the past two years, 20% of motorcyclists in London were involved in a collisions and 62% experienced a near miss incident.
At the moment, TfL allows motorcyclists to ride in bus lanes on certain roads it manages but other boroughs may restrict access on their roads.
In order to reduce these figures, the Transport Committee's report suggests there needs to be a more common approach across the whole city to minimise confusion.
Helen Shaw, Senior Litigation Manager at PotterReesDolan, said:
Although the suggested improvements may help, a significant factor is that vehicle users simply do not always keep a proper look out for motorcyclists and so increased awareness on their part would equally help to reduce the number of accidents, particularly in busy city centres.
The report also suggests that young riders need to be encouraged to take additional training in safety awareness.
TfL have said how it is strengthening the work it carries out to reduce the number of accidents involving motorcycle and scooter riders in the Capital.
If you are a motorcyclist and have suffered a serious injury on the road then contact a member of our specialist personal injury team on 0161 237 5888.