Are you ‘Ready to Ride’ this Spring?

Are you ‘Ready to Ride’ this Spring?

The National Young Rider Forum is launching a new social media campaign as it ramps up efforts to support young riders this Spring.

The campaign digitalises the ‘Ready to Ride?’ educational film, which details the steps that a young person needs to take if they are considering becoming a motorcyclist.

Funded by The Road Safety Trust and Kent County Council, the film covers vital topics such as licensing, PPE, maintaining a motorcycle and riding safely in sections presented by young people themselves.

The social media campaign is being launched today (25 March) ahead of the Easter period, which typically marks a return to the roads for motorcyclists, pedal cyclists, horse riders and pedestrians.

It encourages young riders to watch out for hazards on the roads and to make the right choices about what to wear – to give them the best possible protection in the event of a collision.

The three videos – all of which pose a question to the viewer – will be shared across Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

Heidi Duffy MBE, facilitator of the National Young Rider Forum, said: “This campaign aims to raise awareness to new and young riders that the warmer, dryer weather will make the roads much busier.

“Therefore, it is vitally important they are watching out for hazards on the roads, as well as making the right choices about what to wear – just in case they come a cropper!”

Ruth Purdie OBE, chief executive of The Road Safety Trust, said: “It is well known that motorcyclists are over-represented in crash statistics.

“This timely campaign makes use of a great resource, which covers a series of important topics for young riders to consider.”

‘Ready to Ride?’ is designed to fit into school, college and university timetables, or any other classroom opportunity and can be delivered by road safety professionals, emergency service personnel or teaching staff.

The interactive film is 40 mins in length and features young actors who take the audience through five sections of information which potential young motorcyclists will find useful as they set out on the journey to be a new rider.

The film comes in two versions, one with subtitles. It also includes lesson plans and additional presenter information as well as evaluation sheets.

The National Young Rider Forum welcomes interested parties to pilot the resource, to inform a future national roll-out.

For more information contact Heidi Duffy MBE via email.


 


NYRF enters partnership with Co-Pilot

NYRF enters partnership with Co-Pilot

The National Young Rider Forum is delighted to announce a partnership with Co-Pilot.

Bringing together road safety professionals, industry bodies and stakeholders, NYRF help members to develop collaborative campaigns and to ensure this vulnerable road user group have ready access to high quality information and advice about safe and responsible riding.

As providers of resources to road safety professionals, Co-Pilot have built a network of partnerships with a wide range of subject matter experts and stakeholder groups. The collaboration between NYRF and Co-Pilot will see knowledge, data, expertise, and ideas being shared to the benefit of our combined membership.

We’re all working toward the same goal and this partnership marks a milestone in the collective effort to reduce the number of young and novice riders killed or seriously injured.

Heidi Duffy MBE, NYRF Facilitator said, "We are thrilled to join forces with Co-Pilot in our mission to make the UK's roads safer. By working together, we can amplify our message and ensure that every driver understands the importance of being bike aware. This collaboration will enable us to reach a broader audience, driving positive behaviour change and ultimately reducing incidents."

James Evans, CEO at Co-Pilot said "I’ve long admired the excellent work of the NYRF, driven by Heidi Duffy and their members. I’m therefore very excited to see a partnership that will surely pave the way for greater collaboration on this important issue.”


Young riders warned to watch out for ‘Jerks at Junctions’

Young riders warned to watch out for ‘Jerks at Junctions’

The National Young Rider Forum has launched a new campaign to help keep young riders safe at junctions.

Statistics show that 60% of motorcycle collisions can occur at junctions.

The campaign, which will run across social media, highlights this statistic and provides young riders with simple set of instructions to navigate any potential dangers.

It will also appeal directly to drivers on four wheels to always check for bikers before emerging from any type of junction. Motorcyclists, particularly young inexperienced ones are road users who require extra care, consideration and concentration from drivers and junctions pose a real risk to those on two wheels.

Riders are encouraged to use the OSM/PSL routine:

  • Observation
  • Signal
  • Manoeuvre
  • Position
  • Speed
  • Look

The campaign also provides advice on overtaking and filtering.

This information has been broken down into four infographics, which will run across social media – particularly targeting Instagram.

Boosted posts will direct young riders to the campaign webpage, where they can find out more information.

The campaign launches today (15 Jan) and will run for four weeks.

Heidi Duffy MBE, facilitator of the National Young Rider Forum, said: “As this campaign clearly demonstrates, many motorcycle collisions occur at junctions.

“We want to make young riders aware of this – and hope the infographics will help to keep them safe on the road.

“We also want to ask drivers to remember that motorcyclists are smaller than other vehicles on the road and can easily be hidden by others whether moving or parked, always check for bikers at junctions, before moving out.”


NYRF to develop new hazard perception test for young riders

NYRF to develop new hazard perception test for young riders

The National Young Rider Forum is delighted to be working on the development of a good quality, motorcycle specific hazard perception test tailored to the needs of young riders.

The project has been funded by The Road Safety Trust and will be carried out with the expertise of Dr Victoria Kroll and Dr David Crundall of Esitu Solutions, a spin out company from Nottingham Trent University.

Young motorcyclists are overrepresented in crash statistics. Many of the crashes they are involved in are the fault of other vehicles, particularly those with four wheels.

This project seeks to improve the hazard perception, and hazard prediction skills of young riders.

It will do so by filming those hazards from the perspective of a motorcyclist riding in a mainly urban road environment. This will ensure the test will reflect the real dangers faced by riders.

Dr Victoria Kroll, CEO of Esitu Solutions, said: “Esitu Solutions is really excited to be collaborating with the National Young Rider Forum on this pivotal project.

“Saving lives lies at the core of our company's mission, and we are immensely grateful to The Road Safety Trust for their funding, enabling us to make riders safer on the roads.”

Heidi Duffy MBE, facilitator of the National Young Rider Forum, said: “Sadly, over the last three years, nearly 12,000 young motorcyclists have been injured in road crashes, and of those, nearly 4,000 have been killed or seriously injured.

“So, projects like this are vital, if we are to alert our riders to the hazards they could face out on the road, and reduce road crashes involving them, in the future.

“We look forward to working with Esitu Solutions on this prestigious project and wish to thank The Road Safety Trust for funding this work.”

Ruth Purdie OBE, chief executive of The Road Safety Trust, said: “It is well known that motorcyclists are over-represented in crash statistics. It is hoped that by improving the hazard perception skills of young riders, this project help reduce these collisions and save lives.”

The project is expected to be completed by 2025.


National Young Rider Day: 27 June 2023

National Young Rider Day: 27 June 2023

The National Young Rider Forum is excited to announce the first ever National Young Rider Day will take place on Tuesday 27 June - when the focus across the country will be on young motorcyclists.

More and more young people are choosing to ride a motorcycle to work, education, sport or leisure as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.

For many, it is their first experience of being a motorised road user.

Sadly, young riders are the most common age group to be involved in road crashes, due to this inexperience, as well as a lack of confidence and road sense.

As part of the National Young Rider Day, which uses the social media hashtag #WeAreYoungRiders, there will be events taking place across the country.

The Sussex Safer Roads Partnership (SSRP) will be at Safe Ride Motorcycle and Scooter Training School (Old Barn Way, Southwick, BN42 4NT) between 11am and 2pm.

Here they will be able to interact with CBT participants, encouraging them to sign up for ICE stickers, which sit at the back of a helmet, enabling first responders to access key medical and personal information as quickly as possible.

The SSRP will also be distributing PTW merchandise – and promoting the Biker Down course.

In the evening, the NYRF is joining forces with the Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership to host a free Young Rider Webinar (6:30 to 8pm).

Young riders can register to attend by clicking the following link:
https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/e63e979a-3f6e-48ef-99f5-3ba7b4739a12@88b0aa06-5927-4bbb-a893-89cc2713ac82

The NYRF is the leading young motorcycle road support group, and its website and social media platforms - www.newriderhub.net - are the central hub for all young riders to discover more about all things riding, including getting a licence, PPE and motorcycle maintenance.

Heidi Duffy MBE, facilitator of the NYRF, said: “Young riders are supported whilst in education, whilst at work, whilst playing sport and at home - but out on the busy roads as a vulnerable motorcyclist, they are very much on their own.

“Young riders are our sons, daughters, nieces and nephews, grandchildren and great grandchildren and are much loved.

“That’s why we have launched the first National Young Rider Day, to share the love for our young riders and help to keep them safe on the road.”


Webinar to support young riders and give them a voice

Webinar to support young riders and give them a voice

The National Young Rider Forum (NYRF) is partnering with the Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership to host a free webinar for young riders.

Registration is now open for the Young Rider Webinar, which takes place on 27 June (6:30-8pm), on MS Teams.

The webinar is aimed at those aged between 16-24 years. It gives them a voice to ask any questions of NYRF members who cover a large area of expertise in the world of motorcycling.

Speakers include Jody Whitfield from the DVSA, who will tell riders all about gaining their driving licences and taking their CBT test.

Other topics covered will include motorcycle PPE and maintenance, common crashes young riders are involved in (and how to avoid them) and ways of improving your skills.

Heidi Duffy MBE, facilitator of the NYRF, said: “The challenges young riders face - both on and off the road - are well documented.

“Things such as insurance and choosing the right bike can be tricky, as can choosing the right PPE, especially on a budget.

“We hope this webinar can support our army of young riders and set them up for a lifetime of happiness on two wheels, if that’s what they desire.

“Register now and come join the fun!”

The webinar forms part of the inaugural NYRF Young Rider Day.

The event seeks to raise awareness of the many young motorcyclists who take to the road on small powered motorcycles and share their journey with larger and more powerful traffic.

Register for the webinar at the following link:

https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/e63e979a-3f6e-48ef-99f5-3ba7b4739a12@88b0aa06-5927-4bbb-a893-89cc2713ac82

For more information, contact Heidi via email at: heidi.duffy@viaem.co.uk


NYRF infographics to promote young rider safety available FOC

NYRF infographics to promote young rider safety available FOC

The National Young Rider Forum (NYRF) is making a series of seasonal infographics, designed to improve the safety of young motorcycle riders, available to download and use free-of-charge.

The infographics have been used on social media over the last year, as part of separate themed campaigns in Summer, Winter and Spring and have been viewed 100,000s of times on NYRF social media platforms.

The infographics highlight several key issues impacting young riders and were evidence-led from the NYRF research report ‘Understanding Young Riders’.

For example, the summer series look at wearing the correct gear, bike maintenance and riding impaired by alcohol or drugs.

All sets of infographics can be found via the NYRF’s New Rider Hub website – and are free for road safety teams to use.

The NYRF are making them available in support of three major road safety campaigns that take place this week, Project Edward, Global Road Safety Week and the RoadPeace Challenge.

It is in the spirit of sharing free resources across the country (and beyond), to enable all road safety teams - regardless of budget – to communicate key messages to all road users, but particularly young motorcyclists.

Heidi Duffy MBE, facilitator of the National Young Rider Forum, said: “Over the last year, we have run several successful campaigns highlighting seasonal issues.

“These infographics are all available for road safety teams to disseminate – and we hope they will use them to promote the importance of safety among young riders.”

“We send with this free resource, best wishes to the teams at Project Edward, Global Road Safety Week and the RoadPeace Challenge, for successful events across the UK and indeed the world, to raise awareness of the huge numbers of people killed and seriously injured in road crashes every day and drastically drive down those numbers going forward.”

Anyone who uses the infographics is being encouraged to tag the @NewRiderHub in their posts.


Spring has Sprung! New Rider Hub launches infographics campaign

Spring has Sprung! New Rider Hub launches infographics campaign

A series of four exciting infographics, designed to engage with and help prepare young riders for riding out this Spring, will be shared on social media over the coming weeks.

The infographics have been prepared by the New Rider Hub, the one-stop-shop for new and young powered two-wheeler (PTW) riders overseen by the National Young Rider Forum (NYRF).

They focus on important subjects, two of which are the use of helmets and the dangers of riding while under the influence of drugs.

Bike maintenance is also covered, as is the need for riders to recognise signs in the Highway Code.

With regards to the latter, the New Rider Hub is encouraging young riders to familiarise themselves with The Highway Code - particularly the rules, regulations and traffic signs.

Each infographic will be published on the New Rider Hub’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts. They will be boosted by paid advertising, in order to reach as many riders as possible.

The first, which covers drug driving, will be published on Monday 3 April. It has been timed to coincide with the National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) Motorcycle Safety Week.

Dan Quin, NFCC lead for road safety, said: “NFCC is delighted to see the launch of the new resources during Motorcycle Safety Week. The New Rider Hub is a valued way of NFCC and our partners sharing the advice available to help keep young riders safe on our roads.”

Each post will link back to the campaign page on the New Rider Hub website.

The full publishing schedule can be found at the foot of this press release.

As part of the campaign, a series of polls will also run across Twitter.

Heidi Duffy MBE, facilitator of the NYRF, said: “Spring is traditionally a time we see many more motorcyclists take to our roads and this includes our young riders”.

“Whether you are a commuter, GIG courier or leisure rider, this is a good time to check your bike and yourself as the rider, to ensure you are both fit, safe and legal, to be riding out on the road.”

“We hope that our young riders find the information useful and that it helps to keep them safe.”

Spring infographics complete year-round collection
The spring infographics campaign is the fourth to be launched by the New Rider Hub, following on from campaigns looking at issues specific to summer, autumn and winter.

All four sets of infographics can be found via the New Rider Hub website – and are free for road safety teams to use.

Heidi added: “Over the last year, we have run a number of successful campaigns highlighting seasonal issues.

“These infographics are all available for road safety teams to disseminate – and we hope they will use them to promote the importance of safety among young riders.”


New campaign to support young motorcyclists in the chilly months ahead

New campaign to support young motorcyclists in the chilly months ahead

The National Young Rider Forum (NYRF) has launched a campaign to support its young riders while out on the road this winter.

The campaign includes a new set of infographics that will be used on social media to provide essential advice on topics such as wintry road surfaces, scooter maintenance, changing weather conditions and to check riders know the facts around impaired motorcycling the ‘morning after the night before’.

The infographics will be released weekly on the NYRF’s New Rider Hub platforms to coincide with the end of the autumn and the dive into winter. They depict some of the problems riders can face and ask: ‘Are you prepared for winter riding?’.

Fay Wileman from the Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership designed the infographics. She said: “This time of year can be very challenging for our young riders as they face the elements of riding their bikes during the winter months which can quickly change from the hazards of low sun to torrential rain.”

The NYRF hopes that these simple but effective infographics will remind riders that it is a good time to prepare themselves and their motorbikes for the road ahead.

In addition, the message to drivers, kept warm and cosy on four wheels, is to expect to share their journey with those on two wheels and take extra care when turning and pulling out of junctions where many collisions can occur.

The infographics are also being launched to coincide with the 2022 National Road Safety Conference, organised by Road Safety GB.

The NYRF is thrilled to be presenting at the event, which takes place in Harrogate and is the first opportunity since Covid for road safety professionals across a wide range of organisations, charities and partnerships to meet up and focus on reducing road collisions and casualties.


New Rider Hub launches summer infographics campaign

New Rider Hub launches summer infographics campaign

A series of four summer infographics, which shine a beam of light on several key issues impacting young riders, will be shared on social media over the coming weeks.

The infographics have been prepared by the New Rider Hub, the one-stop-shop for new and young powered two-wheeler (PTW) riders overseen by the National Young Rider Forum (NYRF).

They focus on important subjects, two of which are the dangers of riding tired and/or under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

Relating to typical summer events, such as festivals, BBQs and weddings, the overriding message of these two infographics is to ‘leave the bike at home’.

Two further infographics highlight to young riders the importance of wearing the correct protective gear to avoid ‘road rash’ and checking their bike before setting off to ensure they do not have a long push home at the end of their night out.

Each infographic will be published on the New Rider Hub’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts. They will be boosted by paid advertising, in order to reach as many riders as possible.

Heidi Duffy MBE, facilitator of the NYRF, said: “Young riders face challenges all year round, but the summer presents a heightened risk when it comes to things like alcohol/drugs and tiredness. After all, who doesn’t enjoy a party in the sunshine?

“We hope our young riders find these infographics a useful reminder this summer when it comes to staying safe on the road.”


Scroll to top