A Motorcycle Safety and Transport Policy Framework
Objectives
The key objectives of the actions set out in this section are:
- Reduce rider casualties
- Enforcement of highway law (especially for those who can’t be reached through education)
- Education to follow enforcement
- Simplify access to motorcycle training and testing regime
- Raise standards of riding (training to a higher level than a test where all reach the same standard)
- Reverse the increase in people avoiding taking a test
- Raise awareness, both among riders and other road users
- Improve quality of pre-test and post-test training. Improve public confidence
- Improve CBT and learner rider safety
- Establish motorcycle community support for aims. Create wider knowledge among riders
- Improve uptake of post-test training, create safer riders and drivers, encourage skills development
- Secure BikeSafe’s position as acknowledged best practice in rider assessment
Summary of Actions
Action 8: To Publish an Education and Enforcement Strategy
Action 9: To Make Best Use of The Rider Intervention Developing Experience Scheme (RiDE)
Action 10: Developing Vocational Programmes for Approved Training Bodies, to Raise Standards Beyond Those Prescribed by DVSA
Action 11: Improving the Current Pre-Test Training Regime
Action 12: Review and Update Compulsory Basic Training (CBT)
Action 13: Encourage More Riders to Take a Motorcycle Test
Action 14: Implementation of a licence upgrade via the 7 hour minimum training route
Action 15: Gaining Government recognition and financial support for BikeSafe
Action 16: Improving Standards of Post-Test Rider Instruction
Action 17: Encouraging Continuous Improvement of Drivers and Riders
Action 18: Encouraging riders to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Action 19: ASafety Messaging – Creating Awareness of Motorcycling
Action 20: To Promote the Role of the Motorcycle Community in Supporting the Framework
Introduction
Whilst updating this Theme it has been necessary to spilt out some of the actions and reorder them to make key actions clearer, we have also added an action to encourage the use of personal protective clothing.
This Theme deals predominantly with the more traditional approaches to motorcycle safety. There can be no disputing that those who ride defensively with good machine control are less likely to be involved in an incident. It is also clear that post-test training is popular with only a minority of riders. However, rider rehabilitation schemes offer the chance to re-educate a wider section of the riding community.
Enforcement is often linked to education and this is an area which requires improvement for motorcyclists specifically. Car drivers are routinely offered speed awareness courses – motorcyclists are often included in driver courses where the facilitator has little or no knowledge of motorcycles. This is not likely to provide the best possible learning outcome for the rider and is an opportunity missed. The motorcycle specific RIDE course is gaining in popularity but provision is sporadic and far from nationwide.
Compliance through engagement is the preferred option, but for offending behaviour that falls beyond the scope of education, enforcement by the Police will be guided by the principles of proportionality in applying the law.
Better standards of pre-test training are also required to ensure that the most vulnerable riders with little riding experience can stay safe on the road. Quality Assurance arrangements for those offering motorcycle training for money have improved but more could and should be done.
Tracking and policing of the provision of CBT must be improved and a robust quality assurance regime should be implemented. The appeals process for those found to be offering substandard training or not following regulations should be reviewed to assist the DVSA with removing those instructors who have no intention of following the correct procedures and consequently do not offer customers the level of training they should expect.
Motorcycle riders should be able to obtain high quality training of a known standard. Legislation only allows DVSA to monitor the provision of Compulsory Basic training (CBT). Instructors are currently checked approximately every 4 years and visits are by appointment, unless specific issues have been reported. DVSA have made, and are continuing to make, very welcome improvements to this monitoring but the training industry still feels that this is a most important issue to tackle.
The issue of sub-standard training does not only apply to CBT. Pre-test training is not monitored currently and legislation does not allow DVSA to intervene unless invited.
All elements of rider training should be subject to a mandatory Quality Assurance regime not just CBT (pre and post-test). Post-test tuition should be managed in the same way. If an instructor is taking money for training then customers should be assured that they will get appropriate training for their needs. Further incentives to encourage all road users to improve their skills above test standard should be developed.
Progressive Access to a higher licence category should be available via a training upgrade rather than a repeat of the same motorcycle tests. Taking the educational or training route will raise standards for every rider, even those currently at test standard. This approach will help raise standards of riding and therefore rider safety. This would also allow riders to take the upgrade on the new bigger bike that they may wish to ride after upgrading their licence. Riders would be able to have seven productive hours under the watchful eye of an Instructor to get to know their machine and familiarise themselves with its characteristics.
The option was not taken in the UK when 3DLD came into force as concerns were raised about the quality of instruction. To address this valid concern we must begin the process to change legislation to ensure implementation of a robust Quality Assurance regime for all types of training that routinely include the intelligent use of customer feedback.
BikeSafe research has shown that 26% of attendees go on to take further post-test training opportunities, we must maximise this and government support and recognition are key to this.
Riders should be encouraged to take up Post-Test training. Post-Test Instruction should also have some form of quality control. It should not be possible for anyone with a licence to offer motorcycle training and charge a fee for their services.
We must all work together to deliver this framework and its actions, we will continue to work with stakeholders and promote the benefits of this framework.
It is also important to consider safety messaging and how it may be received by riders, showing motorcycles and riders in a negative light is unlikely to encourage those same riders to take on board important safety messages.
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