SMIDSY "Sorry mate I didn’t see you"

"Any person who's riding a motorcycle, when they're involved in an incident, they're just automatically deemed at fault. It's the furthest thing from the truth.

I wasn't doing anything wrong… I was coming out of a roundabout, just around the corner from home. All of a sudden bang."

Shannon, motorbike accident survivor

Wire barriers

Wire rope barriers on the side of the road are quick and easy to install, and relatively cheap, at least in the short term. Unfortunately the wire ropes and vertical posts can be extremely dangerous for riders.

The smooth surface created by concrete barriers is by far safer if you slide along the road after an accident, like motorcyclists can.

Lane filtering

Even though it’s safer for riders and eases traffic congestion, lane filtering has not been legalised in some Australian states and is still widely misunderstood by drivers. It’s time for national consistency and a comprehensive driver awareness campaign on this important road rule.

Helmet cameras

For riders, a helmet cam can capture the sights of your ride and also provide crucial evidence if you get involved in an incident on the road.

But the rules around helmet cameras are inconsistent across Australia. In our opinion they are legal to use in all States, but the legislation only makes that clear in Queensland and the ACT. We’ve seen several cases of riders being charged elsewhere, most recently in South Australia.

Distracted driving

An increasing number of Australians are using their smartphones while driving. No one is more aware of this than riders, who can see the offending motorists while they are filtering or stopped at intersections. Distracted drivers are a common cause of motorcycle accidents, so any increase in distraction can be fatal for riders.

Road resurfacing

Debris left on the road after repair work is incredibly dangerous for motorcyclists and has caused serious injuries to riders.

The debris, which can stretch out for the entire width of a road and be metres long, is often left for several days before a contractor returns to sweep it away. We need to get to the bottom of why it’s happening and how to stop it.