Bikers aged 40-49 make up for 60 per cent of motorbike fatalities on North Yorkshire roads
There's been over 140 fatalities on North Yorkshire roads in the last 10 years - over half of those were between 40 and 49 last year.
Police are making an appeal to bikers over the age of 40, as it's revealed they make up 60 percent of all motorbike fatalities on North Yorkshire roads.
North Yorkshire Police are targeting 'Born-again bikers' - those who may have started riding again after a long break.
The month-long campaign aims to raise self-awareness about riders’ physical capabilities and increase understanding of the heightened risk to this group of middle-aged men, who have often purchased their high-powered "dream ride" after a long gap out of the saddle or are completely new to biking.
Road statistics show that over the last ten years, 141 motorcyclists have died and 1,328 have been seriously injured on North Yorkshire’s roads.
In the last year alone, 60% of motorcyclists who have lost their lives on North Yorkshire roads were men aged between 40 and 49.
The data also shows that weekend riders are more at risk of an accident, and that 70% of motorcycle collisions are due to rider error with the main cause being loss of control on a bend or when overtaking other vehicles.
Nearly all of the collisions have involved a powerful bike with an engine size of 500cc and above.
Deputy Chief Constable Tim Madgwick, who is also the National Police Chiefs’ Council Motorcycling Safety Lead, said:
"In North Yorkshire we are blessed with some the most beautiful biking routes through stunning scenery.
"Yet the stark reality is that 141 riders have died and 1,328 have suffered serious injuries over the past 10 years on our roads.
"Last year alone, 60% of motorcyclists killed on our roads were men aged 40 to 49 and most were riding high-powered bikes.
"Our road casualty statistics clearly show that middle-aged men are more likely than any other group to be involved in fatal and serious injury collisions when riding their bike.
"This is the context behind the new ‘Born-again bikers’ safety campaign, and it is important that we try new ways to get the message across to those who are most at risk."
Someone who understands the risk of accidents far too well is 54-year-old Dick Allaker.
He's had to learn to walk again after a horror smash in Spennymoor last year left him with two badly broken legs, a shattered pelvis, a broken back, broken arm, fractured ribs, nerve damage and internal injuries.
He said:
"After I'd gone over the top of the car, I could smell the burning and hear the road crackling with the heat.
"It was like the scene from a Hollywood movie just over my shoulder.
"Going through my mind at the time as I was going over the car, I was thinking 'well this isn't so bad then.'
"At the time you don't realise you're as badly hurt as you are, the pain was just trying to get a breath.
"If I hadn't got into Major Trauma in the time that it was, I definitely wouldn't be here today.