Motorcycle riders less likely to drink and drive
November 24, 2009 by Matt Brogan
A British study has found that motorcyclists are half as likely to take the risk of drinking before riding. The drink driving statistics in 2008 show that 1.4 per cent of motorcyclists failed the breath test after an accident compared to an average of 2.7 per cent for all road users.
The study has shown the group most likely to drink and drive were those under 17, 11.8 per cent in this age group failed the test. In this group 1.2 per cent were motorcyclists.
2.4 per cent of motorcyclists in the age group from 20 to 24 failed the breath test but five per cent of all road uses in this age group failed the breath test.
There were at least 15,935 people killed or injured by drink and drug drivers in 2007, that works out to be 1,328 people every month, 306 people every week, 44 people every day, 2 people every hour.
478 people were killed in the UK by drivers over the drink driving limit in 2007, men being more likely to cause drink driving accidents than women. Nearly one third of casualties from drink driving accidents are women, most are passengers in cars driven by young men. Almost one in ten drink drivers are caught the morning after a big night.
The MCI advises:
- Never drink any amount of alcohol if you’re riding. You don’t have to be over the limit for your skills to be impaired.
- Never drink late at night if you’re riding early the next morning. If you get caught out later than you thought, take the bus or go pillion next morning.
- Don’t let mates drink and ride.
- Don’t hassle anyone into accepting a drink they don’t want.
“The demands of riding a motorcycle are greater than those of driving a car and it is good to see the majority of motorcyclists recognizing this fact by refusing to mix drinking and riding,” Sheila Rainger, MCI Director of Communications, said. “However, there is no room for complacency. As vulnerable road users, motorcyclists need to stay sharp. The MCI is backing the Road Safety Week 2009 call to all riders to commit to ‘not a drop, not a drag’ before starting the engine, and as Christmas party season approaches, urging riders to be aware that alcohol can stay in your system well into the morning after.”
by Adam Marshall
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I think motorbike riders are more aware of what is going on than car drivers. It’s just a pity that so many are involved in crashes, many caused by ignorant car drivers.
That is so true. When you ride your not only looking out for yourself but everyone else. I remember a few years ago the did a national road safety rules test on tv and the motorcycle riders cleaned up.
Remember people, this is from the same corner of the world that spent millions to find out that our kids copy our driving habbits.
And the headline is missleading anyway. just because less riders THAT WERE INVOLVED IN A CRASH were under the influence than car drivers, does not mean that they are less likely to drink and drive. Thats just way too speculative to be a scientific conclusion, and explains why “British Research” has the reputation of being the laughing stock of the scientific world.
How could they get on their bikes at the first place if they are drunk. lol