Can posters make roads safer?

One hundred and ninety ‘Ride Safely’ information posters are currently being placed on roads around the county, Powys County Council has announced.

But there is more to them than meets the eye.

Not only do the posters remind motorcyclists to ride careful but they also highlight the presence of motorcyclists to all other road users. Additionally all of the posters have a grid reference sticker and location marker on the back so that if a motorcyclist is involved in a collision or breaks down, they can provide their exact location on unfamiliar roads.

The sticker comprises of a 12-figure grid reference together with a description of the road number and route. These stickers were used to aid the emergency services with five collisions last year.

Sarah Morris, the Council’s Senior Road Safety Officer, said: “In 2014, six motorcyclists lost their lives as a result of a road traffic collision in the County and in excess of 25 motorcyclists received serious injuries. As one of the most vulnerable road users in Powys, the Council’s Road Safety Unit wants to greatly reduce the number of motorcyclist casualties."

For more information on this scheme and other initiatives available to motorcyclists, contact the Road Safety Unit on road.safety@powys.gov.uk.