Past, Present and Future Motorcycle Safety Strategies in North East Scotland

Project Description

Although representing less than 1% of all road users, motorcyclists accounted for 33 out of 160 casualties (20.63%) reported for all road users in Scotland in 2018.

As a consequence of their over-representation in the total number of accidents and fatalities on Scotland’s roads, motorcyclists have been identified by the Scottish Government, Police Scotland and other agencies as “vulnerable road users” and are therefore key targets in ongoing road safety campaigns.

Significant changes as a result of the Scottish Police and Fire Service reform in 2013 led to reductions in road safety resources and activity, particularly in the fields of educational inputs and data analysis.
Working in partnership with Road Safety North East Scotland, the purpose of this project is to bring together existing data, policy and background information held by Police Scotland and agencies involved with the North East Scotland Road Casualty Reduction Strategy on targeted motorcycle safety initiatives utilised by Grampian Police/Police Scotland in the North East of Scotland. Specifically – Operation Zenith; Bike Safe; and Rider Refinement North and in doing so, apply this data in an analysis of the effectiveness of targeted road safety campaigns on motorcycle safety in the North East of Scotland.
Given the current funding pressures on the Police Service and others to continue funding road safety initiatives this research will make an important contribution to the underlying policy for continued investment in motorcycle-specific casualty reduction strategies and will inform, develop and improve existing policy as a result.