18 of us are killed or seriously injured each day

An open letter to the IAM

Posted: 3 February 2012
by Ben Cope

Mr Average?

I've just read a press release from the IAM and it leaves me with mixed opinions. What is it really saying?

The press releases says that: "1,690 motorcyclists were killed or seriously injured in July to September 2011. This means 18 motorcyclists were killed or seriously injured every day between July to September 2011 - an increase of two per cent compared to the same period in 2010"

It then goes on to say: "While all casualties among car users have reduced by seven per cent, the figures for motorcyclists have remained stagnant."

However it's the sign-off that confuses and worries me in equal measure: IAM director of policy and research, Neil Greig, said: “The increase in motorcycling casualties is worrying especially while casualties among car drivers continue to fall. The government needs to ensure that education campaigns targeting motorcycling continue and funding is made available for local initiatives. The police and councils must continue to work together to improve high risk routes, encourage post test training and target bad riding behaviour through innovative enforcement techniques.”

This sounds worryingly Daily Mail to me, and it concerns me that your press release will be pounced upon by these types of publications. It doesn't take a rocket-scientist to work out why casualties among car drivers are falling: manufacturers of cars are making them safer, driving standards have not improved 7% in the past year, believe me. Even with safer cars, you can't forget to factor in the people who drive them: 22% of car drivers say they don't wear a seatbelt. If they don't care about their own safety, how likely are they to be concerned with the safety of others.

To me, this release puts the problem squarely at the foot of the biker. I know bikers can bring it on themselves some of the time, but the IAM should push the police to take more detailed statistics of KSIs at the scene, so we can get to the heart of the problem. Firstly, let's separate Killed with Seriously Injured. That's important. Secondly, motorcycle deaths aren't all single vehicle accidents; the majority involve another vehicle. So let's get to the heart of this. Are these figures rising in city-centres or country roads? How experienced is the average biker or car driver who becomes a statistic?

If someone told me that my love of toast and a good soak in the bath, if combined, could be fatal, then I'd take notice. In the same way if - for example - a 35-40 year old man, who's new to biking and commutes on his 125cc scooter into the city knew he was much more likely to become a statistic than the 20-year old on the motorcycle next to him, then he'd take notice too.

High risk routes, as we all know, aren't all famously twisty biking roads where everyone runs out of talent, quite a lot are boring busy a-roads where traffic comes together. I think high-impact campaigns on famous roads like the A537 just cause people who want to 'go for a blast' (bikers and car drivers) to find other roads, not go out and ride or drive safer on the road that's being targetted.

These campaigns are generally hailed a success by the people who run them. Sure, that one road might have improved for as long as there's an unmarked police car on them but does the campaign work? Really?

I'd like the IAM to gather more detailed statistics so we can all see where it's going wrong and work to improve it. If these were published on your website, highlighting high-risk roads, locations, a typical high-risk rider, people would learn from it and thank you for it. I'd also like to see data on the number of Advanced Riders and Drivers who are involved in these accidents and if they're much less likely to get killed or seriously injured than the average rider or driver.

We need to make people want to improve themselves not try and force them to. My guess is that, like me, most people think they're enough above average not to worry about these kinds of press releases. If we lay the facts out bare, only then can people make an informed decision.

These figures won't change unless people want to change them.


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Harby
Very good letter with some excellent valid points.

Posted: 04/02/2012 at 12:13


George's Shed
I like the idea of more detailed statistics, but it's like every other stat, they pick and choose how to show them. I think IAM training must produce safer rider/driver as the insurance companies give discount for IAM members and they don't give their money away easily, surely they must have a view of detailed stats

Posted: 05/02/2012 at 15:14


Thomp
Institute of Advanced Mugs, though the training courses are good if not great, the bods at the top come across as complete tossers. I'm all for the organisation, but unless the drivers at the top have verifable driving records and achievements, racedrivers would be nice for example. Then having them lecture me on my driving seems hard to swallow, even though i'm sure they know what they're on about, they go about tell us the wrong way.

Posted: 06/02/2012 at 08:45


Thomp
telling*

Posted: 06/02/2012 at 08:46


Easytarget
The IAm also has an article on the increase of cyclist incidents without details of how many more people are taking to 2 wheels in the current financial climate than previously. e_mail them to ask them to be more responsible: press.office@iam.org.uk

Posted: 06/02/2012 at 08:50


George's Shed
Not sure if racing drivers are any better on the road? racing and road are different, but I do agree that it apears that the top dogs are not in touch.

Posted: 06/02/2012 at 12:34


steve turner 2
The stats are all well and good but the points made in the blog throw up some interesting objections. some question/point I would like to look at:

What is the average age of motorcyclists injured and are scooters classified in the statistic. More 16 year olds are now turning to two wheels as insurance for cars is through the roof. Someonne I know was quoted £3k for an old mini so pushing teenagers to cheeper transport. Not saying all 16-20 year olds are irrisponsible but if there is a significant increase in bikes on the road, the risk of bike accidents increases, especially with those that have less road sense

Posted: 07/02/2012 at 13:14


mikeprytherch
I would be interested to see if car accidents have been reduced by 7%, its says casualties have been reduced, but I agree with Ben that cars are safer, but if the number of accidents are the same it proves that the standard of driving has not improved, the IAM have used the wrong stat in my view.

However there is one overriding point, in general I find that motorcyclists are not bothered by the danger, just look at all the fuss over ABS becoming compulsory.

I agree that the IAM always seem to come across as a bunch of old tossers, but wouldn't anybody who tries to tell you that your riding is shit and you go too fast, putting routes on web sites is nonsense, it won't help, the police even post positions of speed cameras and yet we still get caught, why because when we are riding we are not thinking.

What the IAM are trying to do is save lives, its very easy to criticise the way they go about it, so why not come up with some real solutions to help them instead of always knocking them, surely safer road and riding is best for all of us ?

Posted: 07/02/2012 at 13:46


bob craven
What we have seen recently is an increase in the numbers taking the test, or at least taking to two wheels., before the test changed to having only 70 examination centres throughout the country. Also more recently [ this last year 2011] when the use of a free car park by local auth and govnmt personnel was stopped. With the threat of having to pay more than £2000 per annum to use a car park many chose to buy a twv and so have done.This has led to an increase in twv numbers.

Accident stats show that some 75% are around town or urban areas so we are generally talking of riders whilst communting to and from work of college. these are caused generally by a collision or avoidance with another vehicle at junctions and roundabouts [60% of accidents at mini or other roundabouts involve a twv and another veh.] and the remaining 25% are on faster country roads on bends and in overtaking manouvers or just excessive speeds.

The IAM are like the Daily Mail or MCNews and are always trying to find ways in which to ingratiate themselves with the powers that be.... with the ultimate goal of selling their training services for profit.

I would bring into question the stats Its the way one may interprits the facts.

Posted: 07/02/2012 at 14:04


mikeprytherch
IAM and ROSPA are non profit making charities, so they don't sell their services for profit, no more than the likes of Cancer Research or RSPCA.

Posted: 07/02/2012 at 18:26


John Scopes
Look here and your can see where the casualties have occured.

Road casualty Britain: 11 years of deaths and injuries mapped and visualised
The numbers are horrific: 32,955 killed, nearly 3m injured between 2000 and 2010. This is 11 years of deaths and injuries on Britain's roads. But how do you visualise that level of disaster? Transport data mapping experts ITO World have taken a little-known but forensically detailed police dataset from the Department for Transport called Stats19 - which they extracted from the Economic and Social Data Service - and produced this powerful map ahead of Sunday's world day of remembrance for road traffic victims. You can zoom around the map using the controls on the left or search for your town. Each dot represents a life

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/interactive/2011/nov/18/road-casualty-uk-map

Posted: 08/02/2012 at 09:20


peter cakes
Cant be arsed reading ALL that lot but did it say anywhere what the stats say about what sort of bikes these riders where on? were they by any chance mostly riding sports bikes? I only ask as I often see sports bikes belting round country roads near where I live in Leicestershire during the summer and often wonder how many of them will see the end of the year. If you ride like a dickwad then you got a better than even chance of a trip to A&E or worse. If you want to ride like a F1 rider get on a track. The public road is for ordinary peeps who may not have the reaction speed of a race driver so just may not see you coming at them at 100+ mph and even if they do they have very little chance of avoiding you.

Posted: 08/02/2012 at 09:52


Ben Cope
The facts are, Mr Cakes, that these 'dickwads on sportsbikes' don't make up the majority of the casualties. However, Daily Mail headlines, perpetuated by press releases like these, would lead you to think that is the case. It's not.

Posted: 08/02/2012 at 11:16


Chris Wiggins
The principles that underpin advanced driving, be that through Institute of Advanced Motoring or as I have experienced it through Police Advanced Driver Training, are not a matter of opinion. The 'system of car control' is a set of principles surrounding driving that are proven to be best practice. It is demonstrably the case. To that end, anybody who takes the time to assimilate, understand and apply these principles can only become a more capable, more aware, safer driver. However many wheels they have got on their wagon.
I am a professional driver, and keen motorcycle enthusiast. The skills I have learned completely cross reference between both disciplines, and I see no them and us between car users and motorcyclists. Put simply, everybody on the road should benefit from this level of training. Standards just are not high enough in my opinion.

Posted: 08/02/2012 at 11:42


NickyD
Like mikeprytherch says, the wrong stat has been used and I think it's made the IAM look a bit stupid. The press release states a 2% increase between July and Sept, and compares it with an annual 7% decrease in car casualties. At least that's my reading of it and the 7% tallies with other reports I've seen. This is comparing apples with oranges and is bad reporting.

The report doesn't look at any reasons for the figures either. I've seen elsewhere that annually to September 2011 bike casualties fell 2%, which looks good, unless you factor in the crap weather last winter: less people riding equals less accidents and therefore casualties. I've seen the same reasoning applied to the reduction in car casualties.

As much as I support the IAM, and RoSPA, this is the sort of knee-jerk reporting that does it's image no good. Had they focused on the like-for-like increase in bike casualties (2% July to September) they could have had a stronger article. This is the time when most riders are using their bikes most of the time and a like-for-like increase is indeed worrying.

Posted: 08/02/2012 at 12:52


Russ in Leicester
I think the point that most people have missed is ... whose fault was the accident? Was it the biker's or another possible vehicle that was involved? Then we can see who the muppets are, causing all these deaths

Posted: 08/02/2012 at 15:01


el steph
if the IAM dont make any money can somebody explain why they charge over 100 quid for an information pack which just goes over the same police training manual.........?

how does anybody monitor the success of the iams practices? what do they offer above what the police manuals do? any KPI??? doubt it.

Why have they selected only a small portion of the year and not the entire year?

Why have the IAM selected certain facts and excluded stats that show more often than not its a 3rd party that causes the accident? If the 3rd party is a car that causes a death or injury to a biker, that stacks up as a stat against bieks but its classed as a slight scuff to a car and excluded from these findings.


even the gov are at odds with their finding on this one;

i couldnt give a monkeys about the IAM. at all. and i bet i clock more road and track miles than most iam members.

Posted: 08/02/2012 at 16:28


George's Shed
Well all I can say is, I did my IAM training and took the test last after 38 years of riding and I genuinely think it has made me a better safer road rider.

Posted: 08/02/2012 at 16:42


mikeprytherch
el steph, I think you would agree that sitting in a hospital bed in pieces... the words it wasn't my fault doesn't really help, and yes, if it was a car driver that pulled out it is their fault, but don't be fooled that its 100% the car drivers fault, if a bike is shown to of contributed by excess speed part of the blame goes to the bike, like it or not that is fact.

My understanding on the systems that they teach is all about observation and not getting into a position whereby you are cream crackered by a tosser driving a car, the question is what as a bike rider could you of done to avoid it, of course, you will no doubt be thinking, if the car pulls out in front of me 5 yards ahead I am screwed, well yes of course you are and nothing will help you, but what if you were already braking anticipating the car pulling out, already slowed down because you actually saw the car approaching the junction from 200 yards away, you see its a mother distracted by 2 kids in the back, slow down, get ready for them pulling out, or continue as normal and get wiped out.

The driving system they teach you is to spot situations and react yourself, because the car driver won't, thus you stopped it happening, this is the point you are missing, its too easy to blame somebody else, a lot of accidents could of been avoided by better training and riding.

I'm no idiot, there are accidents that nothing can be done and that is very sad, but there are loads that be stopped, don't just blame the car driver, the rider has to take responsibility as well (sometimes).

No charity can do everything for free, they either have to fund raise or charge, go down to the RSPCA and see how much they charge for stuff and put it into perspective, or compare the cost of IAM for example with a private course.

Posted: 08/02/2012 at 18:39


miffo
>can somebody explain why they charge over 100 quid for an information pack which just goes over the same police training manual.........?

I'd love to know where you'd get all this training for a mere £139. You make it sound like they charge this just for a book. I think the external exam costs IAM about £50 so for the remaining £89 you get around 6 to 8 lessons (or as many as you want) and a load of other stuff (they don't mention the "cross check" to make sure you're ready for your test).

My local group organise track days, weekly ride outs and trips to Wales or other countries.

From http://www.iam.org.uk/motorist/the-advanced-programme80

The IAM Skill for Life package contains everything you need to get your driving skills up to speed. The package includes:

An initial assessment with an IAM voluntary Observer from your local IAM Group
As many on-roaddrives with an IAM Observer as you require to achieve 'test ready' status (typically 6 to 8 drives)
The definitive guidebook to advanced driving techniques 'How to be a better driver'
Membership of your local IAM group, with invitations to group events
Full preparation for your Advanced Driving Test
Your Advanced Test with a qualified examiner
An IAM Advanced Driving Certificate on passing the test
12-month membership of the national IAM, which includes:

- Our award winning membership magazine 'Advanced Driving'
- Access to a host of membership benefits, privileges and discounts
- Special insurance discounts and policy cover once you have passed - Click here for more details
- Access to the Members-only area of this website (for special events, services and member offers)

Posted: 09/02/2012 at 12:26

Talkback: 18 of us are killed or seriously injured each day