Is the New UK Motorcycle Test 2009 Causing Safety Issues For Motorcycle and Moped Riders?
Jul 14th, 2009 by ladyjean
The new DSA Motorcycle Test 2009 has recently been under public scrutiny due to the number of crashes within the first few weeks of its use. The aim of the test was to improve the standard of road safety for motorcycle riders and ultimately all road users.
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) said that the new test was essential to help reduce the number of deaths of motorcyclists in the UK. However, within the first few weeks since the test was brought in (end of April 2009), there were approximately 15 incidents within the test centres, and one of the learners actually ended up with broken bones!
The instructors blame the new “swerve test” where learners have to reach a speed of approximately 30mph and then perform a swerve on special tracks. Many instructors say that this is extremely dangerous, particularly in wet weather conditions. Jeff Stone from the British Motorcyclists Federation told the BBC that “a brake and swerve manoeuvre on a wet road is fraught with danger for even an experienced motorcyclists”.
It is therefore difficult to understand why the DSA are putting such inexperienced learners at an unnecessary risk? The Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) has in fact warned the government that the test is unsafe and requires fundamental changes. Paul Turner, the national chairman for MAG told the BBC news website that the test has been brought in “without enough consultation or consideration for riders”.
In fact, he told the BBC that many of the test centres were not ready for the new test, and subsequently he argues that it was “very poorly implemented”. Statistics from the Department of Transport have revealed that whilst there has been a decline in the number of motorcyclists being killed on UK roads in the past years, the number of casualties have started to gradually rise again.
It is generally assumed that motorcyclists are often the cause of accidents, rather than the victims. However, this is not the case and there is evidence to suggest that many motorists are simply unaware of making themselves aware of motorcycles on the road and possible situations where they may encounter problems.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that not all motorcycle accidents involve other vehicles, and many occur due to defective road-works, large potholes on the road and oil spillages that all pose dangers for motorcyclists and put them at undue risk.
FACT: According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), the five most common motorcycle crashes are:
* Failure to negotiate left hand bend on country A road;
* Failure to negotiate right hand bend on country A road;
* Collision at junctions;
* Collision while overtaking;
* Loss of control
If you have been hurt or seriously injured motorcycle accident it is important to seek professional advice from specialist solicitors who will ensure that you obtain the maximum compensation for your injuries.
About the Author: Ramrattan S. Bhambra is a trainee Solicitor working with Winston Solicitors based in Leeds uk. For more information about Winston Solicitors visit http://www.theclaimsconnection.co.uk
Allow me to correct some of your misunderstandings about the new motorcycle test.
The new test is designed to save lives, by improving rider and road safety.
It’s well documented that bikers form a disproportionately large percentage of road casualties – they make up one per cent of traffic, but are involved in 20 per cent of crashes. The new motorcycle test is designed to address that.
The test is designed to be more challenging but that doesn’t mean it’s dangerous. Riders who have trained and practiced enough should be perfectly capable of passing. The pass rate in the initial weeks was over 56 per cent.
The test was developed over five years and a large number of motorcycle trainers and members of the biking community played a key role in its design. They also contributed in a large number of more than 300 practical trials we carried out over that time, in all weather conditions.
During the development of the test, particular attention was given to the size of the testing area, including the need for it to be appropriate for wet weather riding.
The surface of the testing area is designed to give maximum traction – something not always available on public roads.
In the first weeks of the new test, incidents were reported on fewer than 0.4 per cent of the off-road tests.
There is no “brake and swerve” exercise. On the avoidance exercise, the most common mistake seems to be accelerating too fast up to the avoidance exercise, then braking while swerving, which destabilises the bike. Candidates should be building up speed steadily and only braking AFTER the bike is upright again following a controlled swerve.
The new motorcycle test is very much in its infancy. It’s obviously proving more challenging to riders, as it was designed to do.
DSA hosted open days at various Multi-Purpose Test Centres and provided demonstrations of the test. This included allowing instructors to experience it at first hand, give feedback and ask questions. The open days resulted in those instructors gaining the necessary insight into the requirements of the new test and enable them to review their training methods and where necessary make any changes
It makes sense that the better motorcyclists are prepared for the hazards of everyday riding, such as avoiding other vehicles pulling out in front of them, the safer they’ll be. When we consulted with the motorcycle industry it was agreed that it was important that riders should be able to demonstrate that they could keep the bike under control while doing the avoidance exercise.
We’ll continue to hold meetings with the motorcycle industry, as we have done throughout the consultation process on the new test.