Riders urged to take precautions ahead of motorcycle safety week

In the wake of motorcycle safety week, road safety commissioner Kim Papalia is urging riders to wear appropriate safety gear when hitting the road.

The deaths of three riders this year who lost their helmets in crashes has raised concerns about the correct fastening of safety gear.

Motorcycle fatalities in the Peel-Mandurah region in 2016, accounted for one fifth of WA’s motorcycle-related fatalities.

Of the 28 motorcycle deaths in WA, six happened between Serpentine and Lake Clifton, in areas such as Meadow Springs, Mandurah and Barragup.

Pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists also made up 31 per cent of the 154 road fatalities between the start of last year and October 26, 2016.

In a bid to share some insights in adequate protective gear, Mr Papalia will be sharing step-by-step guides for safe practices in a series of new videos in the Road Safety Commission website.

The videos will feature advise in life-saving matters such as wearing appropriate clothing and fitting a helmet correctly.

“One of the essential safety factors about a helmet is doing up your chin strap safely and accurately,” Mr Papalia, a keen motorcyclist himself, said.

“Pass a double-d chin strap all the way through, fold it back through and do it up.

“It secures the chin strap and the helmet won’t come off – that’s essential for surviving a crash.”

For motorcycle safety week, Mr Papalia took to York for the annual Motorcycle Festival on Sunday, which hopes to strengthen safety awareness for riders and motorists alike.

Motorcycle safety week will run from April 23 to April 29.