The Minister was attending the Thursday evening practice session at the North West 200 where she spoke with police officers who were providing advice as part of the PSNI’s Bikesafe scheme. She met some of the riders who will take part in Saturday’s races.
Arlene Foster said that as a minister who travelled regularly across Northern Ireland and who regarded road safety as a very important part of her portfolio, she was acutely aware of the need to drive safely. She said: “In 2006 fourteen motorcyclists lost their lives in road crashes and already this year a further nine have died.
“Those deaths could have been prevented. Many were caused by drivers or riders travelling too fast to cope with the unexpected, or overtaking carelessly, or by vehicles emerging from side roads without ensuring that it was safe to do so.
“It is just not acceptable to blame the other driver or rider if you failed to slow down at the first signs of possible trouble, or if you were travelling too fast to stop within the distance you could see to be clear. We all need to drive or ride defensively, anticipate what other road users might do, and adjust our speed accordingly.”
The Minister said that her department had recently launched a joint road safety advertising campaign which carries the slogan “the faster the speed, the bigger the mess”. She urged all bikers and drivers to keep that in mind.
Notes to Editors:
- There has been a very significant increase in the popularity of motorcycling in Northern Ireland in recent years. Motorcycle registrations rose from 9,142 in 1995 to 28,853 in 2005.
- Motorcyclist deaths and serious injuries have risen from 107 in 1995 to 160 in 2006.
- There were 20 motor cyclist deaths in 2003; 22 in 2004; 14 in 2005 and 2006. To date there have been 9 fatalities this year.
- Further information contact Brian Kirk DOE Press Office tel 07767 362605 or 028 9054 0003.
