Police make safety plea to motorcyclists after crashes

Neither motorcyclist was wearing adequate protective clothing, other than a helmet, and both were taken to hospital with injuries.

The accidents on Tuesday night and yesterday lunchtime were the latest of eight accidents attended by Guernsey Press reporters in the past week alone.

‘We see an increase in crashes in the summer, particularly motorcycle crashes as people get out and about more,’ said road policing officer Mat Du Port.

‘Motorcyclists in particular should wear the right protective clothing. It can be really difficult during the summer because no one wants to be wearing lots of clothes when it’s hot, but they need to be protected.

‘While a helmet is the minimum protection, people should be at least wearing a strong jacket and suitable gloves. If you fall, the automatic reaction is to put your hands out and so people often injure their hands.’

The police use the phrase ‘dress for the slide, not the ride’.

One teenage motorcyclist was injured after hitting a car along Rue De La Ronde Cheminee in the Castel at about 9.20pm on Tuesday.

He was flung 15m along the road and taken to hospital. He could be heard shouting in pain as he was carried into an ambulance.

The second teenage motorcyclist, who was riding in his school uniform, was taken to hospital with injuries after colliding with a car at the junction by Vale Garage at about 12.30pm yesterday.

In addition to expressing concerns about motorcyclists’ clothing, police officers said that a lot of traffic accidents were down to owners failing to maintain their vehicles properly, take them for annual services or check their tyres.

After a crash, officers investigate and establish who was at fault.

Even a person injured in a crash may have to attend court if found responsible for causing the accident.

‘There are not only physical and psychological impacts when you are involved in a crash, but other things to think about, such as insurance,’ said PC Du Port.

‘Even if you are not at fault, you may have to claim on your insurance and it can be a lot of inconvenience.

‘What can be really helpful is fitting a dash cam. We particularly like dash cams, as they are not expensive and can be a lot of help in case of an accident.’

In 2023, there were 397 crashes in Guernsey, which caused seven serious injuries and 102 minor injuries, but no fatalities.

So far in 2024 there has been one fatality on the roads.

‘Be aware of your surroundings, follow the rules and look out for each other,' PC Du Port said.

‘If everyone followed the rules and stayed aware, there would never be crash.'