Motorcycle Safety: Why it Pays to be Insured

According to statistics, Britain’s roads are no safer today for motorcyclists than they were a decade ago, despite a decline in the total number of road accidents.

The BBC reported last year that in 2006, 6,484 motorcyclists were killed or seriously injured, compared with 6,208 in 1996. In the same period, the total number of accidents resulting in death or serious injury involving all motorists dropped from 48,097 to 31,845. Government figures showed that while the number of accidents of all types suffered by motorcyclists rose from 23,133 in 1996 to 23,326 in 2006, the number of accidents of all kinds involving all motorists fell from 320,578 to 258,404 in this period.

This increase in motorcycle accidents can be attributed, in part, to the increase in the number of individuals opting to ride a motorcycle in order to avoid traffic congestion.

The RAC Foundation’s Acting Director was quoted in the report as saying that the figures were ‘disappointing’, and that the motorcyclist wasn’t always taken into account in the planning of roads. She added that maintenance of roads was a big problem. For the car driver, pot holes and poor road surfaces can mean damage to the car’s suspension system or a tyre; for the motorcyclist however, a poor section of tarmac on a road can mean the rider comes off his or her bike.

A spokesperson for the Department of Transport added that in 2006 £1.5m had been spent on making road users aware of the dangers for motorcyclists, and that the government was committed to improving the safety of motorcycling.

According to a safety policy paper published by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, most motorcycle accidents occur in the warmer months when motorcyclists dust off their leathers and pull their bikes out of the garage. In 2004, May had the highest accident casualty rate with 2,634 motorcycle casualties, followed closely by the months of September, June, and August.

Friday is the most likely day for a motorcycle accident to happen, and unsurprisingly, rush hour poses the greatest risk with 7am-9am and 4pm-6pm being peak times for motorcycle accidents on weekdays.

Failure to negotiate a bend on a rural A road is the cause of one of the most common types of motorcycle crashes. Fifteen percent of all motorcycle accidents are the result of losing control on a bend. This type of accident is most likely to happen during leisure rides involving inexperienced riders; those riders who haven’t held a licence for very long or who have returned to motorcycling after a long gap.

Motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable when overtaking another vehicle. Fifteen percent of all motorcycle accidents occur during this manoeuvre. In comparison, only three percent of car accidents happen during overtaking.

While most new riders are attracted to the thrill and freedom motorcycling can offer, when faced with a quote for motorcycle insurance cover, their enthusiasm can be a little dampened. Motorcycle insurance can be costly for the new rider. But there are ways that a rider can keep his or her insurance premiums to a minimum.

Think carefully before buying your motorbike if you don’t want to be faced with high insurance premiums. The more powerful the motorcycle you ride, the higher the premiums you will pay, especially if you’re a young rider. If you’ve just passed your test, then choosing to ride an older bike with a smaller engine should result in lower premiums. And you should also investigate whether it would be cost-effective to complete an advanced rider’s training programme in order to qualify for insurance discounts.

Limiting your motorcycle usage will also help with obtaining cheaper insurance cover; for example, if you only use your motorcycle on weekends, then this will be reflected in the amount you pay in premiums.