MOTORBIKERS are being offered free road safety equipment amid a warning to all motorists.

With many motorcyclists returning to the roads in the good weather, Calderdale Safer Roads Group has launched a campaign to highlight the risks to commuter bikers.

Bikers make up less than 1% of road traffic but account for around 25% of all road deaths and serious injuries. The majority of injuries to motorcyclists in Calderdale are sustained by commuter bikers involved in collisions with cars, filtering between lanes of traffic and at road junctions. The campaign appeals to both motorists and bikers to be ‘Mindful not Mindless’ and to ‘Share Space Safely’.

Calderdale’s Road Safety project manager David Short said: “In launching this campaign we are avoiding laying the blame on any specific road user. What we are saying is look out for each other, respect each other and share space safely. I urge bikers to wear high visibility vests, slow down and give yourself plenty of room. Car drivers should ‘Think Bike’ at all times.”

The campaign is being backed by all of Calderdale’s motorcycle dealers with many offering free road safety goody bags, provided by the council. Bikers can also pick up a free high visibility vest and motorcycle road safety goody bag from the Council’s main reception at Northgate House at any time between 9am and 5pm from Monday to Friday.