Devon and Cornwall Police issue motorbike speed warning

A road safety officer has warned of the "heartbreak" caused by motorcyclist accidents, after 22 were killed or critically injured in two counties.

In a public video, Sgt Owen Messenger from the Devon and Cornwall force urged riders not to speed after the serious incidents in 2022.

He said officers "had to knock on far too many doors to tell people their loved ones are never coming home".

His message is being published on social media on Tuesday at 20:00.

The plea will go out via Vision Zero South West's social media channels, a partnership aiming to reduce road deaths, involving authorities across Devon, Cornwall and Somerset.

In the video Sgt Messenger said every incident the force had dealt with of this nature had "tragic consequences".

He said: "They leave children without parents, partners without loved ones and heartbroken friends left mourning their best mates.

He added "the majority of collisions" they attended "involved bikers riding too fast, overtaking dangerously and losing control".

He went on: "I want to take this opportunity to speak directly to anyone who rides a motorbike in Devon and Cornwall - please, please slow down.

"We know speed is a major contributory factor in serious and fatal collisions. It gives you less time to react and increases the likelihood of serious injury - both to yourself and to others around you."

Sgt Messenger said he also wanted to appeal to the families and friends of motorcyclists to remind them "how much you want them to come home".

"Our officers have had to knock on far too many doors to tell people their loved ones are never coming home again," he added.

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