The North East Film Archive is one of a network of regional film archives established to collect, preserve and show film made in, or about the North East of England. Our collections are non-fiction, and date from the early 1900s to the present day, providing a rich record of life in the region over the 20th century. Many of our films are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free
Safe Riding Gets You There
A promotional film to encourage motorcycle safety and training in Darlington.
From the collection of:
Overview
Throughout the 1970s, the mortality rate for motorcyclists on Britain’s increasingly congested roads had steadily grown, highlighting the need for better training and knowledge. This promotional film, produced by Derek Mathison, encouraged new riders in the Darlington area to take part in the eight-week RAC/ACU motorcycle training scheme and help cut deaths on the road.
According to Department of Transport figures in 1978, the year before it is believed this film was made, 1163 people died in motorcycle accidents on Britain’s roads. Since 1947, the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) and the Auto-Cycle Union (ACU) had provided excellent training in both theory, practical road safety and motorcycle maintenance, run entirely by volunteers. Sadly, these training courses ended in the 1980s, but much of what was learned became the precursor to the modern Compulsory Basic Training course still used today.