Sorry Mate, I Didn’t See You!

Issued 22nd July 2005

MAG supports South Gloucestershire’s “Smidsy” campaign.

Motorists are being urged to look out for motorcyclists as part of a new road safety campaign to reduce the number of motorcycle casualties on South Gloucestershire’s roads.

Temporary road signs displaying the campaign web address ‘ www.smidsy.co.uk ’ and other messages will be going up at motorcycle accident hotspots to remind drivers to look out for motorcyclists.

Pat Hockey, executive member for planning, transportation and the strategic environment, said: “Too many motorcyclists are being injured in road accidents in South Gloucestershire – and our statistics show that a significant number are happening because drivers are failing to see motorcyclists – particularly at junctions. This kind of accident is known as a ‘smidsy’ accident – which stands for ‘Sorry Mate, I Didn’t See You!’, and the campaign is trying to target these accidents in particular.”

“We hope that our campaign will encourage drivers to log onto the website to find out more about why motorcycle accidents happen and to keep an eye out for motorcyclists –one of the most vulnerable road users.”

The campaign encourages drivers to log onto a website to find out more information about motorcycling accidents and also gained the approval of the British Motorcycling Federation (BMF).

Every year, over 120 motorcyclists are involved in accidents on roads in South Gloucestershire. A recent in-depth study into motorcycle accidents carried out by the Department for Transport suggest that at least 25% of all motorcycle accidents happen because drivers don’t see the motorcyclist.

The signs are being put up at sites in the area where there have been 3 or more motorcycle related accidents in the past 3 years (May 2002 – April 2005) within a 50m radius, and other routes with a high percentage of motorcycle accidents. Statistics show that, at some junctions, more than 80% of the motorcycle accidents occurred because drivers failed to give way to motorcyclists*.

Alan Hale, senior road safety officer, said: "Motorcyclists, like all road users, are sometimes at fault in accidents – but it’s clear from the statistics that this isn’t always the case. Evidence shows that despite the fact that motorcyclists are making more of an effort to make themselves conspicuous, drivers simply don’t see them – especially at junctions."

“The Department for Transport study suggests that it’s not the learner driver that is most likely to be involved in a ‘smidsy’ type accident but older, ‘experienced’ drivers.

If these drivers don’t expect a motorcycle, they are unlikely to see them.”


ENDS


Notes:

1. Full details about the campaign can be found at www.smidsy.co.uk .

2. *These statistics are based on information provided on police record forms filled out at the scene of an accident involving a motorcycle. While all efforts are made to ensure this information is correct, the final figures relating to Smidsy accidents are only estimates.

3. The temporary signs are to be erected in the following locations:

A420 Warmley High Street (including the A4174 Deanery Road Roundabout and extending to Tower Road North)

Gipsy Patch Lane (between the Hatchet Road Roundabout and the A38)

Tower Road South (between Tower Lane and Park Road)

B4056 Southmead Road (between Braemar Avenue and Charlton Avenue)

B4058 Winterbourne High Street (between Dragon Road and Swan Lane)

Tower Lane, Warmley (between the A4174 Wraxhall Road Roundabout and Tower Road North)

4. The Department for Transport’s Report ‘In Depth Study of Motorcycle Accidents’ was published in November 2004. The full report is available in pdf format on the Department for Transport’s website at www.dft.gov.uk