Bike Wise 2010 Sunday 25th July at Police HQ

Fatalities

Tragically 29 people lost their lives on the roads of County Durham and Darlington in 2007 of those six were riding their motorcycle when they died.

The above map shows the locations of the fatal motorcycle accidents and the 14 serious motorcycle accidents throughout the County.

Below is a brief description of how the fatal accidents have occurred.

Please ride safely and do not become one of these statistics in 2008.

1. This collision took place in the Wolsingham area in the evening following an afternoon ride-out. An experience rider miss judged a right hand bend where he has hit the nearside curb and then collided with a metal rail fence. The rider was then thrown over the top of the fencing and died as a result of his injuries. No other vehicles were involved.
   
2. Again following a ride-out, but this time in the Newton Aycliffe area an experienced motorcyclist has misjudged his approach to a roundabout and collided with the signage. He died as a result of his injuries. No other vehicles were involved.
   
3. This accident happened at approximately 9.30pm in the Consett area here the rider has failed to negotiate a slight right hand bend in the road hitting the kerb and colliding with the roadside fencing. He died as a result of his injuries. No other vehicles were involved.
   
4. Whilst completing an over take on the A177 dual carriageway near Sedgefield, for an unknown reason the rider of a CB400 has lost control of the motorcycle whilst overtaking a vehicle. The bike has left the carriageway to the offside throwing the rider from his machine and resulting in fatal injuries.
   
5. A tragic set of circumstances where a rider with over 50 years of experience on an afternoon ride-out has failed to negotiate a left hand bend at Burnhope. He has then collided with the corner of a stone built wall and died from his injuries. No other vehicles were involved.
   
6. This accident has happened when the motorcyclist has been overtaking a line of traffic on approach to a junction on the right. One of the vehicles in the line was turning right into this junction. The rider has then braked heavily in response to this, lost control and collided with oncoming vehicles. He died as a result of his injuries.