MOTORISTS are being urged to ‘Think Bike’ and look twice after it was revealed more than half of all motorcycle casualties in the North-East were either killed or seriously injured.

The Campaign group Road Safety GB North East has been joined by emergency services from across the region to highlight the risks associated to motorbike riders on the region’s roads after 53 per cent of accidents last year resulted in serious or fatal injuries.

Last year, there were 329 biker collisions on the region’s roads, down from 337 the year before, but a substantial rise of 53 per cent resulted in riders either being killed or seriously injured.

Campaigners are now reminding bikers to drive according to the conditions and within the speed limit, and also urging drivers to take a second look for bikes before pulling out or overtaking – checking their blind spot every time.

Paul Watson, chairman of the campaign group, said: “We’re very pleased that the number of overall biker casualties has fallen, but we continue to be concerned that more than half of all bike collisions result in a rider either losing their life or being seriously injured.

“Less than 1 per cent of vehicle miles travelled on the region’s roads are by bikers, but they account for 18 per cent of those that are killed or seriously injured, so there is much more that we can do.”