In a major boost for road safety in this country, MotoGP star Chris Vermeulen and Motorcycling Australia (MA) will join forces to help turn the tide when it comes to motorcycling accidents on our roads. The French Grand Prix winner will front a national safe riding campaign in a bid to send a message to the thousands of new riders taking to the streets each year. Frustrated by the mounting road toll, Vermeulen approached MA with an idea which has developed into the TV, radio and press campaign. “Riding a bike is becoming a real alternative for a lot of people,” Vermeulen said. “It might be the lifestyle or the fact that bikes are economical to run, but with that comes the brutal fact that people are dying on our roads, and in my opinion, needlessly. “Everyone must remember that the roads can be dangerous and we all need to take responsibility for how we ride or drive. “I guess people watch me race and think that looks like fun, I can do that, but what they forget is that I have a massive team of people helping me do what I do, and we take safety issues very seriously. “Don’t treat the road like a race track is one of the main messages in the campaign.” Vermeulen added: “There have been a lot of deaths recently and while people think it is completely down to speed, that’s not necessarily the case. “Normally it’s people out riding their ability, so that means take it easy on corners and at intersections. I guess take control of the situation is a pretty important thing to remember.” MA’s CEO, David White, praised Vermeulen for his commitment to the message, and was quick to point out that a number of other significant contributions have been made to get the campaign off the ground. “It is a wonderful thing, that someone as high-profiled as Chris can take time from his own agenda, to give back to the sport in such a manner, and he ought to be commended for it. “As well as Chris’ profile, the campaign would not have got to where it is without significant input from the likes of Suzuki, Chris’ sponsors and many of Australia’s motorcycling media who have also come on board to help. “The message we are promoting of safe riding is critical, and we will continue to invest our resources into such an important issue in the future. “We are certain that the campaign will be successful. We want to make sure that the message reaches as many motorcyclists as possible, and that the motorcycling public continues to enjoy the ride!” A campaign website has been set up which will have all the latest news, competitions, photos and safety blogs from Vermeulen, as well as the full version of the advertisement itself. Simply visit www.myspace.com/ridersafety. More, from a press release issued by Motorcycling Australia: MA launches Rider Safety Campaign On Monday 28 April, Motorcycling Australia (MA) and MotoGP star Chris Vermeulen launched their Rider Safety Campaign in Sydney at the New South Wales Leagues Club. With representatives from; the Federal Government, the Roads and Traffic Authority NSW, Motorcycling industry, the NSW Ambulance Service and motorcycling and general media attending, Vermeulen spoke about how, with motorcyclist injuries and fatalities on the rise, he felt compelled to act and to spread a safe riding message to everyone on the roads. “The statistics I’ve seen for motorcyclists are pretty bad,” Vermeulen said. “I love racing and riding bikes both on and off the road, so safety is a pretty big concern for me. “I feel that if I can give something back to the community, and can help somebody stay safe on the roads, then it’s been worth all the effort that many people have put in.” Vermeulen was adamant that everyone on the roads, motorcyclists and drivers alike, need to take control and be aware of others. “Motorcyclists cannot treat the road like race track,” he said. “When I race, I have a team of mechanics continually monitoring my bike and my progress, I know what the track is going to be like each time I go around and I only have to contend with other highly skilled and trained riders. “When riding on the roads however it’s very different, the condition of the road can change unexpectedly, there are cars, trucks and busses sharing the road with you and there are so many other unknowns. “Riders need to take control of their situation; no one forces a motorcyclist to speed or to take corners too quickly, so it’s their responsibility to take control it’s their hand on the throttle! “Motorists also need to be aware of motorcycles when they’re driving, keeping riders in sight and checking behind them.” Also attending the launch was Mr. Chris Hayes MP (Member for Werriwa), representing Mr. Anthony Albanese MP (Member for Grayndler), who spoke about the value of campaigns such as this in changing the attitudes of people taking to the roads. “The statistics we’ve seen recently about motorcyclist injuries and fatalities are shocking enough, but what these statistics don’t show is the grief and heartache that others suffer as a result of these numbers,” Hayes said. “With road safety, the key objective is to change community attitudes and it is with campaigns such as this that we can work together to make our roads a safer place for all future users.” A different perspective was provided to the launch by Ryan Salter, a Motorcycle Paramedic with the Ambulance Service of NSW. Salter, who also rides recreationally, is often asked how he can ride when he sees what he sees at accidents and his answer is always the same. “Yes, I have seen a large number of injured motorcyclists, some of them fatal,” Salter said. “Yet in almost every accident I’ve seen, it could have been avoided or the injuries significantly reduced if the rider had behaved differently prior to the crash or worn appropriate clothing. “We need to improve rider attitudes if we are going to reduce the statistics of motorcycle crashes, in addition to encouraging motorists to be more aware of motorcyclists on the road. “The fact that a paramedic was asked to be involved in this campaign speaks volumes of the community perception of motorcycles. “Unfortunately, the fact is that when people think of bikes, many think of ambulances, and the association between the two is both disappointing and needless. “With increased awareness and education among all road users, I hope that in time we can correct the needless view that motorcycles and ambulances go hand in hand.” To check out the safety ad simply visit www.myspace.com/ridersafety.