Port police have joined forces with Kent County Council, road safety equipment specialists Travelspot, and Kent & Medway Safety Camera Partnership to bring the "crash card" to the county.
Port kick-starts Kent bike safety drive
The crash card was inspired by the Ambulance Motorcycle Club and is already in use in Northamptonshire. The scheme was spotted by an off-duty Port of Dover Police officer who was visiting a superbike event at Silverstone.
Paul Wilczek, the Port’s Chief Police Officer, said: "Each year, somewhere in the region of 19,000 motorcycles pass through the Port, so it's an ideal opportunity to engage with British riders. Our initial production run of crash cards is enough to supply 30,000 bikers."
Inside the Port, the card is being distributed by Travelspot - a company providing essential safety equipment which drivers heading for Europe are required to carry by law.
Charles Sterling from Travelspot said: "It is great to be able to add this into our Driver Safety Information service for the ferry operators in Dover Port. This initiative is at its greatest importance when a rider is abroad and overseas emergency services are desperately trying to identify a rider and their medical history and next of kin without a common language or a direct link into the UK DVLA database."
The scheme is also being rolled-out county-wide, with the project's partners looking at bike shops and cafés frequented by motorcyclists to help with distribution.
Vicky Watkins, Kent County Council Road Safety Team Leader, said: "Our work isn't just about reducing the number of road crashes, it's also about reducing the human impact of these incidents. We know riders of powered two wheelers are over-represented in crash and casualty statistics; e.g. 1% of all road traffic that make up nearly 25% of all fatal and serious injuries. When a crash happens, the ability for the emergency services to give the proper care is vital, so these crash cards will help the health professionals to make the best decisions they can."
Early diagnosis and treatment of casualties is critical to saving lives and the crash card is expected to have an important role to play.
Colin Evans from Kent and Medway Safety Camera Partnership said: "Speed is a significant factor in a crash as it contributes to the severity of any injury. Whilst managing vehicle speed is a key way to reduce crash severity, crash cards will help the emergency services make a quicker diagnosis on the scene and subsequently provide more targeted treatment that could save lives and reduce the severity of injury."
