Motorcycle project shown to change behaviour and save lives

An award-winning motorcycle safety project funded by The Road Safety Trust is continuing to save lives on Scotland’s trunk road network.

The first phase of Project PRIME took place between 2020 and 2022, with special road markings installed at 22 sites on the trunk road network in Scotland to help riders make better decisions when taking bends. The project won the prestigious Prince Michael International Road Safety Award for its positive impact on motorcycle safety in 2023.

Phase Two of Project PRIME ran from 2023-2025, extending the trial to a total of 35 locations to analyse over 47,000 motorcycle movements. Results show the markings continue to encourage riders to adopt better road positioning at corners. It also showed evidence of sustained behaviour change in riders over two, three and five-year periods.

In addition to the positive behaviour change effects observed in the trials, the latest analysis of the Project PRIME sites has shown:

• 61% reduction in annual average motorcycle injury collisions across all trial sites

• 46% reduction in annual average motorcycle collisions where someone is killed or seriously injured across all trial sites

Following the success of the trial, six local authorities in Scotland are now considering the rollout of PRIME road markings on their local road networks. Welsh authorities have installed PRIME road markings at four locations and National Highways have made representation to the Department for Transport for approval of a trial of PRIME road markings in England. The project was referenced in the Government’s National Road Safety Strategy, released earlier this year.

Ruth Purdie OBE, Chief Executive of The Road Safety Trust, said: “PRIME markings are fantastic and genuinely have the power to create lasting behaviour change in riders.

“Motorcycle deaths are still too prevalent, and riders remain vastly over-represented in statistics relating to deaths and serious injuries on our roads in the UK. That trend simply can’t continue, but PRIME markings could hold the key in making a real difference.

“The project’s inclusion in the Government’s Road Safety Strategy is testament to the excellent work of everyone involved, and I would encourage every local authority to consider implementing PRIME markings in their area.”