DocBike charity expands motorbike safety courses

DocBikes are equipped with life saving medical equipment and cost more than £50,000

A charity promoting motorbike safety hope to expand their number of free workshops on offer.

DocBike pairs trained paramedics with medically-equipped motorbikes to help them attend roadside collisions.

The charity is also working with Somerset Road Safety to host Biker Down classes to educate motorcyclists.

The three-hour course aims to help prevent accidents and fatalities. They also provide first-aid training for bikers who witness an incident.

The Biker Down course offers motorcyclists the chance to learn practical skills to help avoid being involved in a collision, including recognising and mitigating the risks of oncoming traffic.

Dr Ian Mew, founder of DocBike, launched the course after analysing NHS data for motorbike collisions across all hospitals in the West region.

"Looking at those motorcyclists that were killed or critically injured, more than 80% of them wouldn't have been involved in a collision at all if the riders have had some sort of awareness of why motorcyclists get into crashes and what they can do to avoid it," Dr Mew said.

Steph Robertson was killed on her bike in Wales last year in an accident involving another motorist

Sally Edwards, a member of the all-female motorcycling group, Bristol Biking Girls said: "Because we do spend so much time on the road as a group, the Biker Down course is extremely important.

"Our founder Steph Robertson was unfortunately killed in a bike accident, so it's something that's very close to our hearts.

"We know now what to do in the event of an accident, so we can help each other and help other bikers."