From the latest Ride Forever newsletter:
Coromandel motorcyclists treated to a NZ first in safety
Roadside safety barriers along a scenic Coromandel route popular with motorcyclists, are being made even safer this month as motorcyclist safety rails are added onto existing barriers in high-risk areas.
Motorcyclist collisions with roadside barriers that are mainly designed to improve the safety of drivers in four-wheeled vehicles, can result in serious injuries and make up around 4% of all motorcycle fatalities in New Zealand.
Motorcyclist safety rails are especially designed to prevent motorcyclists from hitting the guardrail posts should they collide with the barriers in an accident. It is the first time these motorcyclist-friendly under-run rails have been used on New Zealand roads, thanks to Motorcycle Safety Levy (MSL) investment.
Mark Gilbert, Chair of the Motorcycle Safety Advisory Council (MSAC), which advises ACC on where the MSL should be invested, says "Making our roads as motorcyclist-friendly as possible is a top priority for us. Quite simply, the more forgiving the roads and roadsides, the more survivable the accidents and the more lives saved."
The innovative system works in reducing serious injuries by redirecting the rider along the barrier and away from hitting the unforgiving barrier posts.
The steel underrun barriers are the latest safety improvements made to this 130km stretch of Coromandel highway under the Safer Rides project.
"It's about creating a more forgiving roadside environment so that motorcyclists who have an accident will sustain less serious injuries".
Motorcyclist safety rails will be fitted onto 19 existing barrier installations and will be in place by the end of January 2016.
So, if you're going to hit a "safety" barrier, then make sure you do it on the Coro southern loop, in particular between Hikuai and Whanga.
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