Nuneaton motorcyclist makes safety clothing plea after crash

Lee Vigor said an inflating jacket helped minimise the impact of his crash

A motorcyclist who says his life was saved by a safety jacket is campaigning with a charity to make protective clothing more affordable.

Lee Vigor, from Nuneaton, was in a crash in 2018 but said his air jacket helped take the blow of a 50mph impact.

He is now working with IAM Roadsmart to urge the government to remove VAT on the jackets, as happens with the purchase of helmets.

He said: "If it wasn't for that vest, I definitely wouldn't be sat here.

"I hit the car with the full force of my back. It registered the speed of the impact and it was 54.1mph.

"There's no way the human body can survive that sort of impact."

More than 300 motorcyclists die on UK roads each year and more than 5,000 are seriously injured, the charity says.

But despite advancements in safety technology, the ongoing cost-of-living crisis means affordability remains a major concern for bikers, it adds.

More than 300 motorcyclists are killed on UK roads each year, the charity says