drive casualty figures down. While the longer evenings and better weather will be tempting many bikers to head out to enjoy Scotland’s roads in the days and weeks ahead, it’s very important they do so in a safe manner and ride to the conditions.
“I would strongly urge all motorcyclists – regardless of their experience levels – to visit the Road Safety Scotland ‘Live Fast Die Old’ Facebook page and also view the Breathtaking Roads campaign. It’s easy to think you know it all, but these resources will provide helpful hints and tips to make sure everyone enjoys their day and gets home safely.”
The campaign will be supported by the Area Safety Camera Units and will include deploying a specially equipped motorcycle which has all the functionality of a Safety Camera van, but with technology, including forward-facing speed cameras, packed into a highly-manoeuvrable motorcycle.
The initiative links in with the Breathtaking Roads campaign, a series of short films showcasing Scotland’s breathtaking motorcycle routes, encouraging bikers to share best practice riding tips, in a bid to help reduce fatalities by encouraging bikers to follow best practice when enjoying Scotland’s roads.
The films capture the thrill of riding in Scotland and showcase breathtaking coastal rides, scenic forest roads and epic mountain journeys and carry the poignant message – “Be aware on breathtaking roads. Don’t let them take your breath away for good". A dedicated website (livefastdieold.scot) and Facebook page (Live Fast, Die Old) highlight the greatest biking experiences, along with hints and tips from carefully selected local biking experts who have first-hand experience of Scotland’s roads.
As part of the Motorcycle Safety campaign, Police Scotland will run a number of special ‘Weekends of Action’, with the first beginning this weekend when road policing officers will be out on the roads, engaging with bikers to ensure their machines have been properly maintained over the winter and are fit for use. This will also include checks to ensure both MoT certificates are current and insurance cover remains valid.
Where offences are committed, officers will enforce the law and will not hesitate to pull over anyone who is driving in an irresponsible, anti-social, erratic or illegal manner to keep road users as safe as possible.