Motorbike accident news

Paralysed man makes road safety plea to drivers

A man who was left paralysed from the chest down after a terrifying motorbike accident has said car drivers should be made to learn how to ride bikes in order to improve road safety.

Geoffrey Squibb, from Porthleven in Cornwall, suffered serious personal injuries in the road traffic accident in September 1990 and has been confined to a wheelchair ever since.

The 36-year-old has now been reported to have suggested that car drivers get on two wheels to appreciate the dangers faced by bikers.

He said, "Car drivers don't appreciate how hard the road is. A car makes you feel more comfortable whereas a bike makes you feel vulnerable. That's how accidents happen."

Mr Squibb's comments come following the revelation that motorcycles make up for just 4% of traffic in Cornwall but account for a huge 26% of road deaths. In 2005, 13 people lost their lives as a result of motorbike accidents and it is this figure that he wants to see cut.

Cornwall's road casualty safety officer, Bob Heayel, has also joined the debate and told reporters, "We need to build up both parties' awareness of each other.

"Motorcyclists need to wear bright coloured jackets to make them more visible and drivers need to look further down the road."