Police call for bikers to sign up for safety course

In 2013, one in every eight people killed on the county’s roads were motorcyclists. Almost one in every four of those who suffered serious injuries in crashes were on bikes.

In the first weekend in May there were five serious injury crashes involving motorcycles in Sussex.

Sussex Safer Roads Partnership organises Bike Safe courses aimed at helping motorcyclists to become better riders to try to keep them out of danger.

It also organises free Biker Down emergency training workshops run by bikers for bikers to prepare motorcyclists should the worst happen on the roads and they find themselves first at the scene of a crash.

May has seen the start of Sussex Police’s Operation Ride campaign in West Sussex which runs throughout the summer. It focuses on educating motorcyclists about road safety and tackling those bikers who put themselves and others in danger.

Sergeant Stewart Goodwin said: “We have a number of operations running throughout the summer period, the intention of which is to make motorcycling in Sussex as safe as we can.

“The county’s roads are well known by the motorcycling fraternity as nice routes to ride on and we welcome all those who come to use them.

“However we will not tolerate inappropriate and dangerous riding or the use of machines that are unsafe or being ridden illegally, such as with bald tyres or without tax, insurance or number plates.

“We use patrols across the county to catch those who do not obey the law and we will continue to find and stop offenders around the clock.”

For more information about bike safety visit www.sussex.police.uk/help-centre/ask-us/roads,-driving-and-cycling.

To sign up for a Bike Safe or Biker Down course visit www.sussexsaferroads.gov.uk/safer-for-motorcyclists/training.html.

If you see antisocial driving by motorists or motorcyclists, report it at www.operationcrackdown.co.uk.