Thousands of motorcyclists are expected to attend the annual Bikers Make a Difference (BMAD) festival in Paignton, Devon, over the bank holiday weekend.
Police are using the event to highlight road safety after 17 motorcyclists died in Devon and Cornwall between April 2008 and March 2009. Pc Chris Lancaster said the failure to safely negotiate corners left many riders seriously injured or even dead. Free police Bikesafe DVDs are being handed out with tips on cornering. The aim of BMAD is to raise money for charity and promote motorcycle safety. Pc Lancaster said: “Learning how to take a corner correctly may sound silly, but getting this right is one of the most important things to stay safe in motorcycling.
“We are called to many incidents in Devon and Cornwall every year where motorcyclists have been seriously hurt or worse through coming off on corners which they have failed to negotiate properly.”