CARMARTHENSHIRE County Council road safety officers will be out talking to motorcyclists as part of an initiative to reduce the number of casualties involved in motorcycle collisions.
In Wales there were 595 motorcyclist casualties in 2017, 9.6 percent of all casualties. This was a 10.1 percent fall compared with 2016 and is the lowest recorded figure since comparable records began.
Of the 595 casualties 252 were killed or seriously injured, and 343 were slightly injured. In 2017 fatalities increased by 4.5 percent while the number of serious and slight injuries fell by 1.3 percent and 15.9 percent respectively. (Source: https://gov.wales/road-accidents-and-casualties-where-when-and-who-2017)
They will be joined by officers from partner agencies at the Owl’s Nest Tea Rooms in Llandovery on Sunday, April 7, to give information and advice.
Those in attendance will be the Institute of Advanced Motorists, RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders, Motorcycle Action Group Cymru, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Services, Dyfed Powys Police, GoSafe, Cruse Bereavement Care, Blood Bikes Wales and neighbouring local authorities.
The council are looking to encourage bikers to sign up to their free motorcycle course Dragon Rider Cymru, which is for, newly passed riders, people who have upgraded to a more powerful bike and anyone who has come back to biking after a break.
They will also be promoting their Biker Down! Cymru course, which aims to give people the knowledge to manage a collision scene, and preserve life, until emergency services attend. Motorcycle CRASH Cards will also be available.
Cllr Hazel Evans, Executive Board Member for Environment, said: “These events in the past have been well attended with many motorcyclists engaging with us and our partners. Further awareness days will be held throughout the year, and we will be attending other motorcycle events in the county.
“Reducing the number of motorcyclists killed and seriously injured on our roads is a priority for the council and partner agencies and much work is underway to educate both motorcycle riders and other road users in relation to safety and driving/riding skills.”
For further information on the courses and events, which are free of charge, thanks to road safety grant funding from Welsh Government, visit the motorcycling section at www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales, or follow on social media – www.facebook.com/SouthWestWalesMotorcycling or www.twitter.com/CarmsRoadSafety
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