Bike Insurance

America's Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) has issued a number of guidelines for motorists to follow to enhance the safety of their bike-riding counterparts - potentially also helping them avoid bike insurance claims.

The suggestions translate across the pond and can be taken on board by UK drivers too.

Biker safety is an ever-present focus point among British road safety initiatives, with the government recently outlining funding injections for local councils to help boost motorcyclist security across the country.

Meanwhile, last month saw ministers publish its new road safety strategy - A Safer Way: Consultation on Making Britain's Roads the Safest in the World - in which a number of measures were outlined to help protect bikers.

These included designing urban areas with bike riders in mind, increasing access to bus lanes for these road users and improving driver education.

According to the MSF, while drivers have to cope with many distractions, plenty are within their own control, such as applying make-up, eating or fiddling with the radio.

It makes five recommendations for motorists to follow, the most obvious being to look for bikes - which includes checking mirrors and blind spots.

Secondly, drivers need to focus on the task in hand and should not be on the phone or let themselves become distracted.

It is also important to remember to use indicators to enhance the safety of road users and pedestrians, while drivers should also allow extra room for motorcyclists and not tailgate.

Lastly, motorists are advised to take their time and not rush as safety is of the utmost importance.

President of the organisation Tim Buche commented: "The most common type of collision occurs when a driver makes a left turn in an intersection directly in front of a oncoming motorcyclist. Afterwards, they usually say they never even saw the bike."

"This is why it is so important for drivers to remember to expect to see motorcyclists on the roadway no matter what time of year," he added.

April marked Bike Tyre Safety Month in the UK. Bikers were urged to consider their safety and take steps to ensure that their bike was roadworthy and not dangerous.

Experienced riders were called upon to help their less-learned counterparts develop their skills and help them to understand that their safety relies on two small contact patches providing the only contact between the bike and the road.

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