THINK! is sponsoring the British Superbike Championship (BSB) for a sixth successive year after independent research showed that spectators are overwhelmingly supportive of their involvement.
In an independent survey 98% of BSB fans are in favour of THINK! sponsoring the event, and 61% said they are more likely to take further motorcycle road training after visiting the THINK! Motorcycle Academy at BSB.
Road Safety Minister
Jim Fitzpatrick:
“We know that motorcyclists are the single most vulnerable group on Britain's roads today which is why we're delighted to be working with BSB again this year. With motorcyclists accounting for just 1% of all road traffic, but for 20% of all those killed on the roads, we need to make sure that we are doing everything we can to make them safer. The overwhelmingly positive response to the THINK! Motorcycle Academy from BSB audiences shows that our involvement in the Championship is a vital contribution to this."
Jonathan Palmer, Chief Executive of MotorSport Vision:
“I am pleased that the partnership between THINK! and BSB is continuing in 2009. Motorcyclists are of course more vulnerable on the road than car drivers and the THINK! Motorcycle Academy’s on-site presence at BSB plays a very important role in continuing to improve road safety, something BSB fans really appreciate. The number of visitors that engage with THINK! at races and then go on to take up further training is testimony to this.”
The Academy, an interactive visitors stand which is part of the Department for Transport’s road safety campaign THINK!, is present at every round of the twelve-race series. It includes interactive sessions as well as a range of information encouraging bikers to ‘Save Racing for the Track’ and learn new road skills.
The 2009 THINK! Motorcycle Academy will be unveiled at the Brands Hatch circuit on Monday 13th April. A selection of top BSB riders will give live interviews, following in the footsteps of previous Academy visitors including former World Superbike Champions James Toseland and Troy Corser plus BSB winners John Reynolds, Niall Mackenzie and Jamie Whitham.
In addition to accessing the latest motorcycle safety information, those visiting the Academy can experience Honda's Rider Trainer, a realistic hazard awareness simulator. Race-goers will also be able to access interactive pods where they can learn more about motorcycle safety including the latest SHARP helmet ratings.
Teams from the Local Authority Road Safety Officer's Association (LARSOA), the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) and BikeSafe will again provide their invaluable support to the THINK! Motorcycle Academy by providing advice on further training – a crucial element for safer riding.
