Motorcyclists in the area are being told to be careful on the roads this summer
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Police are urging motorcyclists to ride safely as bikers prepare to get back on the road for the summer season.
As the nights are getting longer, many recreational bikers will be taking their vehicles out of storage and getting back on the road, possibly for the first time in several months.
The Police Scotland motorcycle safety campaign will promote safe and responsible motorcycling with a view to reducing the number of road traffic casualties and improving rider behaviour.
The campaign, which will run until the end of September, was launched last week at the Grampian Transport Museum in Alford by Police Scotland.
Superintendent Louise Blakelock, deputy head of road policing at Police Scotland, said: “Although motorcyclists make up only one per cent of the motoring public they account for around 20 per cent of the people killed in road crashes, often during cornering or overtaking manoeuvres.
"Motorcyclists are more vulnerable than other motorists – the smallest of errors, by rider or driver, can lead to very serious consequences, particularly when higher speeds are involved.
“Road safety is everyone's responsibility. I urge motorcyclists to follow our safety advice; by doing so they will avoid collisions.
"Other roads users must keep a careful look out for motorcyclists, particularly when turning into or out of junctions where many collisions occur.
"Drivers who actively apply the road safety message, Think Bike, Think Biker will help keep our roads safer and save lives."
The campaign will be supported by the area safety camera units and will include deploying a specially equipped motorcycle which has all the functionality of a safety camera van, but with technology, including forward-facing speed cameras, packed into a highly-manoeuvrable motorcycle.
The initiative links in with the Breathtaking Roads campaign, a series of short films showcasing Scotland’s motorcycle routes, encouraging bikers to share best practice riding tips, in a bid to help reduce fatalities by encouraging bikers to follow best practice when enjoying Scotland’s roads.
Breathtaking Roads ambassador Jayne Tollan said: “Safety and best practice are at the heart of our riding philosophy and our members are always looking for fresh guidance and advice for getting the most out of Scotland’s roads.
"We’re delighted to back the Breathtaking Roads campaign and we’re looking forward to offering some top tips and advice from our community.”
As part of the motorcycle safety campaign, Police Scotland will run a number of Weekends of Action when road policing officers will be out on the roads, engaging with bikers to ensure their vehicles have been properly maintained over the winter and are fit for use.
This will also include checks to ensure both MoT certificates are current and insurance cover remains valid.
Where offences are committed, officers will enforce the law and will not hesitate to pull over anyone who is driving in an irresponsible, anti-social, erratic or illegal manner to keep road users as safe as possible.
