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A motorcyclist has joined a major road safety campaign after statistics revealed that 51 riders lost their lives on Northern Ireland's roads over a five-year period, with driver carelessness identified as the biggest cause of motorcyclist deaths and serious injuries.
Martyn Boyd from the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) has signed up to the Share the Road to Zero initiative, which encourages greater responsibility and care on our roads. The figures show that, on average, 10 motorcyclists are killed on our roads every year, with the deaths between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2024 representing a tragic toll. The statistics indicate that half of motorcyclist deaths and serious injuries are due to rider error, whilst the other half are caused by other factors.
Signing up to the campaign on behalf of the NI Region of MAG UK, Martyn Boyd said: "I'm keen to do what I can to help riders stay safe on the road and also enjoy their riding. That is why I am urging drivers to always look out for motorcyclists and to take an extra two seconds to check for us, especially at junctions or making any turns."
He added: "The pillars by your windscreen can hide a rider so please check around them. It almost happened to me, in my car, not seeing a rider hidden by my windscreen pillar."
Martyn, who has been a motorcyclist for 45 years, also had advice for fellow riders. He said: "I have had a few collisions myself and some were my own fault. So, I would also urge riders to always, always be alert for hazards, keep a good lookout, ride in a position that lets you see as much of the road as possible and gives others the best chance to see you."
He went on to say: "If you think someone may pull out on you, be prepared and take avoiding action yourself, don't depend on them."
Thanking Martyn for signing up to Share the Road to Zero, Minister Kimmins said: "In the North, the death rate on our roads is, on average, one per week. Far too many lives being lost and too many families whose lives are shattered by the worst possible news and evidence shows that motorcyclists are one of the most vulnerable groups. It is shocking to hear that 51 motorcyclists were killed here in five years with driver carelessness the biggest cause of motorcyclist deaths and serious injuries."
The Minister continued: "There are things we can do to improve road safety and as drivers we should always take another look for a motorcyclist before making any manoeuvre. Motorcyclists could be approaching faster than you think and can be difficult to see. So we should all take another look when overtaking, parked, when the weather is bad, when turning right or when sitting in traffic."
The Share the Road to Zero campaign has attracted support from a number of high-profile sporting figures in recent times, including Olympian Ciara Mageean, Liverpool and Northern Ireland footballer Conor Bradley, senior women's footballer Emily Wilson, Ulster Rugby trio Jacob Stockdale, Nick Timoney and Michael Lowry, Ulster GAA star Rory Grugan and Belfast Giants.
