Motorists – Look out for motorbikes!

Auckland region business and civic leaders today joined ACC and the Ulysses Motor Cycle Club in support of a campaign to get motorists to take more care when motorcyclists are present.

Look out for motorbikes! is particularly directed at intersections where the majority of collisions between bikes and other vehicles occur.

Around 65 percent of these collisions happen because the motorist did not see the motorbike.

Ulysses Auckland representative Howard Mansell said the club was pleased to join ACC in developing and promoting the campaign.

"As a motorcyclist, I'm aware daily of the problem the campaign seeks to address, that of motorists having a very low level of awareness of motorcycles when relating to traffic in and around intersections," he said.

Community minded businessman and recreational motorcyclist Dick Hubbard said motorcyclists had a responsibility to look after themselves but often the risk they faced was beyond their control.

"Motorcyclists face a far higher risk of injury if there's a crash than other road users and they are highly dependent on other motorists doing the right thing," he said.

The two were commenting at the launch at Auckland's Queen Elizabeth Square.

They were joined by ARC Road Transport Manager Catherine Harland, Motorcycling New Zealand chief executive Trevor Gill, sportsman, businessman and former recreational motorcyclist Tawera Nikau, and ACC General Manager Injury Prevention Darrin Goulding.

Mr Goulding said the fact the Ulysses Club was managing the campaign would drive the message down into the community and bring real benefits to motorcyclists.

Motorcycles make up 1.4 percent of New Zealand's vehicle fleet but account for 18 percent of the cost of motor vehicle claims to ACC.

"ACC paid out more than $43 million for moderate to serious motorcycle injuries in the last financial year," he said.

The campaign has got underway with high profile billboard advertising in 25 Auckland locations and 44 metropolitan buses have the Look out for motorbikes! graphic on their back ends.

Warrant of Fitness and petrol stations around Auckland will distribute 10,000 ACC postcards which highlight the risks to motorcyclists over the next month.

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