DRIVERS are four times more likely to be caught for speeding during the TT period than at any other time of the year.

That’s the news from the Isle of Man’s police force today as they announce their 2010 TT Road Safety campaign.

Inspector Mark Britton of the Roads Policing Unit said that many of the drivers and riders involved in accidents at last year’s TT “were not driving appropriately for the conditions, especially with regard to speed.”

He said that one in four of the accidents involved excessive speed as a contributory factor. “During TT you are four times more likely to be caught speeding than at any other time during the year. This is because of our increased presence and activity involving speed prevention.”

Inspector Britton said that drivers of vehicles were also often unaware of a motorcyclist’s presence and he advised riders to become ‘defensive’ drivers in order to avoid becoming casualties.

He added, “This is not about preventing people enjoying our roads. We want this TT to be safe. I have reviewed last year’s casualty data and it is lamentable that there some people who did not go home from TT 2009, and that some went home with significant life-changing injuries.” 

 

Recorded road traffic collisions have increased by 19% over last year from a total of 83 in 2008 to 99 this year. During last year’s TT period data shows that 75% of collisions between May 29th and June 14th involved motorcycles and half of all crashes occurred on the TT course.

Recorded RTC statistics for TT2009 show an increase in all categories except fatal accidents compared with 2008. There were 27 serious (16), 25 slight (22), 45 damage (41) and one involving an animal (0). A total of 52 of these were recorded on the TT course, 35 of which were on the Mountain section. The number of RTCs that involved motorcycles was 74 on all roads, 39 on the TT course, 29 of which were on the Mountain.

The theme of the 2010 TT Road Safety campaign is once more “Stay Alert Stay Alive’.

The key messages from the police are:-

•    Stay Alert – Stay Alive.

•    Don’t drink and Drive.

•    Think Bike.

•    Be alive to the road.

•    Drive or ride to arrive.

•    Enjoy TT but think of others.

•    If you are having a drink – lock it, leave it and think about whether you can use it in the morning.