Yellow buses are helping  to save lives

Buses give bikers a life-saving bonus

Staffordshire County Council is spearheading the initiative which aims to make both motorcyclists and drivers aware of the dangers on the roads.

The poster campaign will be featured on the fleet of 30 school buses that can be seen travelling around the county.

The latest figures show that bikers account for around 21% of those killed or seriously injured on Staffordshire's roads - even though they only represent 1% or all road traffic.

That's 16 killed, 66 seriously injured and 294 minor injuries in 2007.

The council's Road Safety Unit is leading the Think Bike initiative which will be displayed on the back of the buses. It is designed to make car drivers more aware of their responsibilities to bikers and to encourage them to look again before pulling out.

The correct clothing can provide riders with valuable protection in a crash and the 'Wear It, Don't Bear It' slogan reinforces its importance.

The Campaign is also highlighting the county's eight 'Ride it Right' routes to all road users; those roads in the county with a history of motorcycle casualties, by displaying yellow roadside posters and distributing promotional material.

The initiative is just one of many that the county council has launched to highlight the importance of road safety. It has also offered Bikesense courses which equipped riders with improved skills, confidence and an increased knowledge which could make the difference between keeping safe or becoming another casualty statistic.

The authority also played a part in the highly successful Operation Octane which was held over May Bank Holiday. The campaign targeted bad rider behaviour in an effort to nip their foolhardiness in the bud before it cut their lives short. In all, 146 bikers were pulled over and given road safety advice and information, including an invitation to do advanced rider training to improve their skills. Enforces issued 9 fixed penalty notices and some bikers were caught for offences including riding with no insurance, drunk driving and riding while disqualified.

Staffordshire County Councillor Carol Dean, cabinet member with responsibility for road safety, said it up to everyone to help cut the number of motorcyclists being injured on the area's roads.

"Far too many bikers in Staffordshire are getting killed or seriously injured every year. Whilst they only represent 1% of road traffic they account for a massive 26% of road traffic casualties.

"The Motorcycling Campaign sees a concentrated effort of activities around the county in a bid to reduce this very worrying statistic. Advertising on the school yellow buses is a fantastic way of getting road safety messages out in the local community. We want to enforce the importance of wearing the correct gear when biking - in a crash at 30mph a pair of jeans will last less than 2 seconds before skin is exposed and drive home the part that every road user has to play in reducing biker casualties in Staffordshire. 'Think Bike' and save lives."