OFF THE WIRE
Unlawful bikers in cop blitz
OFF THE WIRE
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2011/02/24/209641_road-toll.html
MATT SMITH
February 24, 2011 12.01am
POLICE are warning illegal motorcyclists they are being targeted after a spike in motorcycle accidents this year.
Tasmania Police said yesterday four single-vehicle crashes during the past two weekends -- in which two riders died and two riders were seriously injured -- was a seriously concerning trend.
Police state traffic co-ordinator Inspector Mark Beech-Jones said investigations into the incidents were continuing but it was believed that in three of the crashes the motorcycles were unregistered and uninsured.
It was also believed that two of the riders' licences were disqualified, one was unlicensed and the other was riding outside the conditions of his licence.
The fatalities were already halfway to last year's motorcyclist road toll of four.
Insp Beech-Jones said new automatic number plate recognition technology would help nab illegal riders.
"We will be focusing on motorcycles in the forthcoming period," he said.
Unregistered bikes and their riders are not fully covered by insurance.
There are about 14,500 registered motorcycles in the state.
Tasmanian Motorcycle Council president Shaun Lennard said national figures showed about one in 10 riders were unregistered or unlicensed and he welcomed the police stance.
"This is an area of concern for motorcyclists throughout Australia," he said.
"Most people riding are doing the right thing, so people either unlicensed or riding unregistered motorcycles are not good news for those doing the right thing.
"We don't want those people on the road either."
