Crash biker backs summer motorcycle safety campaign

A biker who was seriously injured in a road collision said figures showing a four-year high in motorcyclist deaths in Scotland were "terrible."

Peter Preston from Edzell suffered multiple injuries and now lives with constant pain and psychological trauma after the 2009 crash.

More than 500 motorcyclists are seriously injured or killed on Scotland's roads every year.

The past year saw 27 fatalities, two more than the year before.

Mr Preston, 54, said: "It's terrible statistics, so many needless fatalities.

"You see too many fatalities and hope people can pay a little more attention and get these figures down.

"Zero would be ideal."

Police Scotland has launched its annual motorcycle safety campaign to promote safe riding and raise awareness among other road users.

Mr Preston was riding his motorbike on the A90 near Foveran when he was involved in a collision with a car.

He said: "I remember seeing the bonnet of the car go underneath me.

"I remember sky, tarmac, sky tarmac - I do remember seeing the tarmac underneath me and it only came back to me in therapy a year or so later.

"And I do remember thinking is this the last thing I'm going to see?"

He spent seven weeks in hospital following the collision.

Mr Preston said he felt lucky to be alive and now wanted to use his experience to warn fellow riders and road users.

He said: "In my heart I'm still a biker. I still empathise when I see bikers on the road.

"There's a concern when I see them because I know how quickly it can go wrong without doing anything wrong."

About 90% of motorcycle casualties are men, with most collisions happening in rural areas at weekends.

The annual motorcycle safety campaign runs from April to September, covering a period that sees the highest number of motorcyclists killed or seriously injured.

Supt Stewart Mackie, deputy head of road policing and keen biker, said: "I understand the freedom and enjoyment that biking gives people, but I've seen the devastation caused by serious collisions and the impact on loved ones.

"Loss of control is the most common factor in motorcyclist collisions.

"Look out for hazards like loose gravel. The right clothing and helmets matter and position your bike for the best view around bends.

"If you're another road user, take care at junctions and look out for motorcyclists, especially in rural areas."