Officers hope signs will signal greater care for county’s bikers

Last year, three motorbike riders were killed with 84 seriously injured on the county’s roads and South Yorkshire safer roads partnership is working to reduce those figures.

The partnership will use a series of “beware bikers” and “think bike, look twice” signs on roads across the county.

They will appear along stretches of road where motorcyclists have been injured to try to make bikers and other road users more aware of each other.

The large signs will be fitted by the two dedicated South Yorkshire safer roads partnership motorcycle safety officers, Chris Lewis and Del Preece.

Copies of the signs will also be displayed at motorbike shops and test centres across the county to explain why they are being installed.

Mr Preece said: “The signs are being placed on biker routes and at junctions that have previously been the scenes of biker collisions, some of which have sadly had tragic consequences.

“There are two types of signs that we will be placing on roads across the county. The Think Bike, Look Twice signs will be displayed at junctions that have historically seen a number of collisions including motorcycles and the Biker Beware signs will be placed on stretches of road where bikes have been involved in single vehicle collisions.

“Research shows that 75 per cent of rider casualties in the Yorkshire and Humber region occur from a collision with another vehicle. As a driver, if you hurt or kill someone on the roads it will stay with you forever.”

Safety campaigns are also being operated in other parts of the region because serious casualties among bikers are high compared to the numbers using the roads.