§ Mrs. Dunwoodyasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will take action to ensure that motor cyclists are more visible to other road users by encouraging them to use their headlights in the day time;
(2) what estimate he has of the percentage and number of accidents involving motor cycles which are primarily due to the motor cyclist involved not being sufficiently visible to other road users.
§ Mr. RidleyIn 1983 there were 51,545 accidents involving motor cycles. Research by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory suggests that failure by another vehicle driver to see the motor cycle constituted a major factor in approximately a third of these accidents.
TRRL has continued to study the problem of motorcyclist conspicuity. The effectiveness of the available daytime conspicuity aids seems to vary according to such factors as ambient lighting levels and the presence and mix of the traffic. But overall, fluorescent clothing, headlamps and daytime running lamps all appear to perform equally well. So the Department has strongly encouraged motor cyclists to make themselves as conspicuous as possible by these means.
I am currently studying the recommendation by the Transport Committee that the use of headlamps or running lamps during daylight should be required by law.