Motorists need to be extra vigilant for motorcyclists

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With the increasing number of motorcyclists on the UK's roads, motorists need to ensure that they look out for them, particularly at junctions to avoid collisions - 19th June 2008

With the current increases in the cost of oil, and ever increasing congestion on our roads more and more people are turning to motorcycles and pedal cycles as a means of transport.

Unfortunately this will also lead to an increase in the number of bike accidents on the UK's roads. In an attempt to reduce motorbike accidents and pedal bike accidents the 'Sorry mate - I didn't see you' (SMIDSY) campaign was started by South Gloucestershire Council a few years ago.

This marked motorcyclist accident hotspots with signs urging motorists to pay extra attention for motorcyclists and reminding them that they are legitimate road users too.

The campaign got its name 'Sorry mate - I didn't see you' from the words that many motorcyclists hear form drivers after they have just been involved in a road accident.

Campaigns for drivers to be vigilant for motorcyclists have been running for decades.

'Think once, Think twice, Think bike' was a well publicized campaign which started in 1975, yet motorists more than thirty years later still cause many avoidable road accidents involving motorcyclists by not looking properly at junctions.