Motorcycling safety guidelines being developed by the New Zealand Transport Agency should put improving road-riding skills for learners at the top of the priority list, Otago Motorcycle Club president Ray Searls says.
The agency is asking for feedback from motorcyclists as part of its move to implement a draft set of guidelines to help authorities make roads and roadsides safer for riders.
Agency chief executive Geoff Dangerfield said the Safer Journeys for Motorcycling guide aimed to reduce the number of fatal and serious-injury motorcycle crashes on New Zealand roads.
"The risk of a motorcyclist being killed or seriously injured on New Zealand roads is 18 to 20 times higher than that of a car driver," he said.
Dunedin is ranked the third worst place in New Zealand, behind Wellington and Christchurch, for road crashes involving motorcyclists.
Mr Searls said improving rider education by providing better instruction for learner motorcyclists was the key to improving safety standards on the road.
The club intended to make a submission to the agency, he said.
"You need to be realistic about what you can change and what you can't.
"Motorcycles are a small contingent of the overall number of vehicles on the road, so identifying areas where change can be effected is key," he said.
New Zealand's motorcycle regulations for learners were "extremely outdated", when compared with countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom, he said.
It was important not to make motorcycling too hard for peopleto get involved with, but better instruction and core capability skills would ensure riding and safety levels were improved for learners.
"A lot of new riders don't have a proper understanding of how to ride a motorcycle.
"We need more training, and the best place is to start with novices," he said.
A qualified instructor, Mr Searls said skills such as counter-steering should be among the basic essentials taught to all new riders.
"If you've got a wrong line on a corner and need to change your angle, you need those basic skills to correct the bike. If you don't, you can end up a casualty in a ditch," he said.
Better education about the proper clothing and equipment, rather than changing roads and roadside areas, was also crucial when considering safer strategies for motorcyclistsand moped riders.
Dunedin moped riders were "a shocker" for not wearing basic clothing items, such as gloves.
Motorcycle owners were recently hit with increased ACC levies and that extra revenue could be invested in safety and preventive strategies, rather than paying for the costly outcome of accidents, Mr Searls said.
"We would love to see more uniform, recognised, and compulsory training for learner riders. It is by far and away the best and most effective way of improving safety," he said.
Mr Dangerfield said the guide's primary focus was on how to create safer roads and roadsides.
It would be of "particular interest" to councils and other authorities to implement safety strategies on high-risk motorcycling routes.
The deadline for submissions on the guide, which can be viewed on the agency website, is January 27.
The final document is scheduled to be released in March.
