Three motorbikers die within hours in weekend of carnage

Published on Sunday 5 July 2009 22:12

THREE motorcyclists were killed and two injured, one seriously, in weekend accidents on Scotland's roads, prompting calls for improvements in road safety.

Strathclyde Police said a 22-year-old man was killed in a road crash on the M8 motorway, near Shotts, just before midnight on Saturday.

In a separate incident, a 19-year-old motorcyclist in Edinburgh suffered serious head injuries when he was involved in a collision with two cars.

And yesterday a motorcyclist was airlifted to hospital for treatment after a crash with a car on the Nethybridge to Coylumbridge road in the Highlands.

The incidents followed the deaths of Michelle Smith, 40, from Ellon in Aberdeenshire, who was killed after her motorcycle left the road on Friday evening near Caithness, and Andy Barron, 21, from Baillieswells in Aberdeen, who died in hospital on Friday after his motorcycle was involved in a collision near Dinnet the previous day.

Nobody in any of the cars involved in the collisions was seriously injured.

Neil Greig, of the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), said the four incidents were a tragic reminder of the need for caution on Scotland's roads.

He said: "In general terms, what seems to be the case is that, on rural roads when there are accidents involving motorcyclists, it is the rider's fault. They may have been going too fast, or misjudged a corner.

"In our towns and cities, it seems to be motorists who are responsible for the accidents."

Mr Greig, who was attending an IAM conference on safety for motorbikes, urged riders to do as much training as possible. His views were echoed by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, which also called for the implementation of government plans to improve driving tests.

Its spokesman, Carl Christopher, said there was no evidence that motorcyclists were less safe drivers than other road users.

He added: "Motorcyclists are the most vulnerable road user – more training is essential, not just in the driving test but as part of continual, lifelong learning."

A spokesman from the Department for Transport said: "We are continuing to work closely with motorcycle groups and manufacturers to explore ways of improving the safety of motorcyclists, including driver and rider awareness campaigns and the introduction of a more challenging test."

Motorcyclists make up 20 per cent of all deaths on the UK's roads, despite contributing to just 1 per cent of the traffic – 493 motorcyclists died on UK roads in 2008, while another 5,555 were seriously injured.