HUTT CITY COUNCIL NEWS RELEASE

16 MARCH 2011

Courses offer opportunity for riders to improve safety

March is motorcycle safety month in Lower Hutt and Hutt City Council is encouraging local motorcyclists to improve their riding skills to reduce accidents.

Council, together with local police, NZTA and ACC, are offering low-cost instruction courses for motorcyclists and moped riders during March, May and June this year.

The March course is already fully booked but places are still available in May and June.

Mayor Ray Wallace, a keen motorcyclist when he was younger, is encouraging riders to sign up and learn more about how to keep themselves safe on our roads.

“One accident on our roads is one too many and the risk of a motorcyclist being killed or seriously injured in a crash is 18 times higher than for someone driving a car.

“These courses are all about giving riders the skills and knowledge they need to ride safe and as a result I hope we can reduce the number of accidents on our roads.

“It’s great we have been able to partner with these other agencies to offer these courses and I hope we get a good response from local riders,” he says.

There is a three hour course for new riders and moped or scooter riders, and a full day course for experienced riders including both theory and practical sessions.

Courses cost $20, and cover riding skills such as defensive driving, emergency stops, cornering skills, riding style and information about safety gear such as high-visibility clothing.

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