Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > Hampshire Police statement

From yesterday..........this should start a debate!

Sent: 10 January 2005 10:24
The number of people killed in motorcycle collisions across Hampshire and
the Isle of Wight has fallen to the lowest level in six years.

A total of 10 motorcyclists died on roads across the two counties in 2004,
compared to 33 in 2003, and 22 in 2002.

Hampshire police targeted motorcyclists last year after the 50 per cent
increase in deaths in 2003.

A police spokesman said: "Focussing on known motorcycle casualty routes
across the two counties, high visibility patrols were put in place at weekends
along priority routes including the A339, A272 and the A32 in an attempt to
encourage people to take more care."

[skidlids]

Heard it on the BBC South news this morning, its great to hear less lives have been lost and no doubt the police actions have had a help in reducing the figures, but I also feel the poor weather we had last summer had something to do with it, I for one covered a lot less miles than I wanted to. The summer of 2003 was a lot better and probably had something to do with the increase in accidents due to increased mileages covered.
I'm sure there is a average figure over a longer period of time and it would be good to know what the overall trend is rather than singular blips on the chart.

[dickieducati]

totally agree with the weather issue.

last year was rubbish compared with the year before when i could get out pretty much every weekend. sounds like they are taking all the credit for the reduction in fatal accidents.

while all of us clearly want to see a reduction in deaths on the roads you do have to take these statements with a pinch of salt.

im pretty sure that were every weekend dry and warm last summer the death toll would have, unfortunately, been significantly higher regardless of how many police were out and about.

[psychlist]

Lies.

Damned lies.

and........

Statistics!!

You can twist them around to "mean" whatever you want most of the time.
The Hants Constabulary figures are "literal". That is they counted up the number of bikers killed whilst riding last year and compare it to the number killed the year before. As I think has already been mentioned, they take no account of the weather nor the total number of "motorcycle" miles travelled over the year!
Though the end result of fewer deaths is to be applauded it shouldn't all be credited to one initiative, laudable though it may be.

[guest1]

From the frozen ink wells of the Artic survey camp.....
2004 was another uneventful year for motorcycle deaths with the same number as the previous year-----Nil.

Just another statistic

[andyb]

Credit where credits due............I think its all down to the Safety Camera Campaign.

[Rushjob]

OK then, another view.......

Met Office figures used.

Average sunshine for 1971-2000
England 1457.4 hrs
SE / S England 1589.0hrs

2002
England 1483
SE / S England 1644

2003
England 1727
SE / S 1865

2004
England 1499
SE / S 1612

I'd say that the argument that the weather was the major cause of the drop in fatalities is as flawed as that attributed by some to Hants Police.

Read the press release again.

All that it says is that deaths were down and that extra attention had been paid over the year to popular biking roads to TRY to reduce them.

Andy

:P

[dave w]

Originally posted by andyb
Credit where credits due............I think its all down to the Safety Camera Campaign.

What a load of pants

[andyb]

er, i was being ironic...........

[Bionicle]

It would be interesting to know how many fatalities were through rider error, ie no other vehicle involved.

And the number that were atributed to anther vehicle where that vehicle was shown to be at fault.