The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) has launched a new hard-hitting motorcycle safety campaign, highlighting the importance of wearing protective gear on every ride via Clems Melbourne.
In Victoria, motorcycles only make up four per cent of registered vehicles and less than one per cent of total kilometres travelled; however, riders account for 17 per cent of deaths and serious injuries on our roads.
In 2021, there were 43 motorcycle fatalities, an increase of 11 from 2020.
Summer is the busiest time on Victorian roads for motorcyclists, and the new campaign is a timely reminder of how casual clothing such as sneakers, jeans and hoodies only protects riders for a fraction of a second in a crash.
“This campaign hits home the risks of having such a casual attitude towards wearing proper protective gear,” said Joanne Whyte, TAC head of marketing and communications.
“The audience we are speaking to either do not have the right protective gear or chose not to wear all of their protective gear for every ride. Casual clothing such as sneakers, hoodies and jeans only protect a rider for less than a second on impact with the road and often result in devastating injuries.”
Data from TAC shows that, on average, there are 2,500 motorcycle-related injury claims per year. Riders can, and do, travel unprotected at high speeds that other vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, simply cannot reach. Protective clothing is an important way to reduce the risk of injury.
“This isn’t a dramatised version of what could happen, it’s the reality of a risk experienced riders take daily when they don’t protect their entire body on every ride,” said Richard Williams, executive creative director at Clemenger BBDO.
“TAC and Clemenger have a proven partnership of creating public education campaigns that have an impact and change behaviour, and this one is no different.”
The campaign will run via online video, OOH, press, radio, digital, social and through partners.
