But less than 2 weeks remain to get to 100,000!
An e-petition to raise awareness of bikers on the road is now really gaining momentum with more than 60,000 signatures to date, backing a campaign to ensure compulsory bike-related questions are included in the driving test via www.BikerPetition.co.uk
The petition closes later this month, on the 23rd June 2012, so with less than two weeks remaining each signature is vital to get to that 100,000 mark. This will allow the petition to be raised at the House of Commons and hopefully help reduce accidents in the UK in the future and get the test changed for the better.
28,333 accidents involving motorcycle riders occur in the UK every year1 and yet, prospective drivers can currently pass the driving test without answering a single question relating to motorbikes and bikers, who despite accounting for just 1% of road traffic, fall victim to over 20% of all fatalities2 on the roads.
Established by Bennetts this e-petition is backed by the most influential motorcycling organisation bodies; MCIA (Motorcycle Industry Association), MAG (Motorcycle Action Group) and the BMF (British Motorcyclists Federation), as well as support from Insurance aggregators Go Compare and The Bike Insurer. Celebrity supporters include famous bikers Suzi Perry, Matthew Pinsent, Iwan Thomas and Darren Gough, as well as former Double World Superbike champion James Toseland, MotoGP star Cal Crutchlow and Moto2’s Scott Redding who are also helping to encourage signatures in a bid to get to the all important 100,000.
Hannah Squirrell, Director of Marketing at Bennetts said, “More than 60,000 supporters is really encouraging, but we need more to reach our goal and improve road safety for bikers. As the casualty rate of motorcyclists is currently a staggering 61 times greater than that of motorists, it is vital that the public get behind the petition and increase awareness of bikers before it is too late.”
To find out more information about the Bennetts e-petition and sign up, log onto www.BikerPetition.co.uk or http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/26272
1tDepartment for Transport data (2000 – 2010)
2 Source: http://www.bikelawyer.co.uk/bike-accident-statistics