Campaign aims to prevent motorcycle accidents
Although the number of seriously and fatally injured motorcyclists fell sharply last year, the risk of serious or fatal injury in a motorcycle accident remains 50 times higher than in a car accident. The "Stayin' Alive" campaign therefore aims to further reduce the number of accidents.
In 2016, 43 motorcyclists lost their lives on Swiss roads. Around 1,000 others were seriously injured. And even though this represents a reduction of 35 % in fatalities and 9 % in serious injuries compared to the previous year, motorcyclists account for over a quarter of serious injuries and fatalities in the total number of accidents. An analysis by the bfu also shows that the risk of serious or fatal injury in an accident with a motorcycle is 50 times higher than with a passenger car.
Adapted road infrastructure and driving assistance systems can increase the safety of motorcyclists. Since January 15, 2017, for example, ABS has been mandatory for all new motorcycles with an engine capacity of more than 125 cm3. The bfu recommends making sure that older models also have ABS when purchasing them, as this can shorten the braking distance and reduce the risk of falling.
Driving with foresight
The bfu and the Federation of Motorcyclists of Switzerland FMS are continuing their campaign "Stayin' Alive"The project continues with the financial support of the Road Safety Fund. The aim is to sensitize motorcyclists to anticipate possible mistakes by other road users for their own safety. A study by the bfu shows that in the event of a collision, motorcyclists are only responsible for causing the accident in one third of cases. They can therefore protect themselves with a defensive driving style according to the motto "Give up the right of way instead of life".
The campaign is present in TV commercials, on posters, online, in social media and in the latest edition of the Biker Beizen Guide, as well as at various motorcycle events such as the Love Ride Switzerland in Zurich-Dübendorf on May 7 and the MXGP of Switzerland in Frauenfeld on August 12/13.
SafetyKit for companies
When the weather is nice, many people ride their motorcycle or scooter to work. If they injure themselves and are absent from the workplace, this can have serious consequences for the company. For this reason, the bfu offers a special SafetyKit for companies, with which employees can be made aware of the dangers of riding a motorcycle. The SafetyKit is free of charge and consists of a poster, a flyer with a motorcycle neckerchief for employees, an advice video with a motorcycle expert and a PowerPoint presentation.
(Text: bfu)
