WITH 45 motorcyclists having died on NSW roads so far this year, riders are being urged to stay safe this Motorcycle Awareness Month and make informed choices about their safety gear with the release of new helmet and gear safety ratings.

Transport for NSW Deputy Secretary for Safety, Environment and Regulation Tara McCarthy said choosing the safest gear for your ride could save your life.

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“Any death on our roads is a tragedy and unfortunately, we see motorcycle riders are overrepresented in our road toll,” Ms McCarthy said.

“So far this year 45 motorcyclists have died on NSW roads, while this is two less when compared to the same period last year it’s important to note we still see on average around 1000 motorcyclists seriously injured each year.”

The Consumer Rating and Assessment of Safety Helmets (CRASH), a consortium of Transport for NSW, State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA), Australian Motorcycle Council and Victoria’s Transport Accident Commission, tested 30 helmets against a range of criteria including protection and comfort.

“Taking the time to choose a well performing helmet could save your life, and this year we’ve seen six helmets achieve a four-star crash protection safety rating meaning there are plenty of choices on the market,” Ms McCarthy said.

“Motorcyclists can use the MotoCAP website to check out these ratings as well as to find ratings for protection gear that will help keep them safe during a crash – including gloves, pants, boots, jackets and helmets.

“It is all of our responsibility to keep our roads as safe as possible, drivers can save a life by checking twice for motorcyclists and being aware of blind spots and if you’re riding keep your eyes out for hazards and stay out of blind spots.”

You can find out more and view the new CRASH helmet ratings at www.MotoCAP.com.au