The family of a man killed in a crash have called for greater road safety provisions to protect vulnerable road users.
Ross Goulding, 24, from Milton Keynes died in a road traffic collision on June 16, 2021.
The driver of the Jaguar XJ that hit Ross, Mr Roderick Hamilton of Shenley Wood Retirement Village, was sentenced to a two year suspended sentence.
He was found guilty of death by dangerous driving at Aylesbury Crown Court on Thursday, January 18.
Ross was travelling home on his black Honda CB1000 motorcycle when Mr Hamilton’s car crashed into him.
He suffered catastrophic injuries during the crash on the V8 street at the junction of Waterside and Peartree Bridge in Milton Keynes and died shortly after arriving at Milton Keynes University Hospital.
It is the second time the Goulding family has had to deal with such a bereavement.
Ross’s father, Shane Goulding, was also killed in a road collision whilst riding his motorbike in 2014.
The crash happened at about 7.15pm causing the Goulding family to question whether better safety provisions, such as a different coloured headlights, would make it easier to spot motorcyclists at night or among the many modern vehicles that have daytime running lights and help to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The family has also called for better training for drivers on how to behave near motorbikes, similar to the specific guidance provided for the treatment of other vulnerable road users like horse riders, pedestrians and cyclists.
Ross's mother Anne-Marie Goulding said: “Losing a loved one so suddenly is a horrendous experience – losing two in very similar circumstances has been almost impossible to reconcile with.
“Motorcyclists are much more vulnerable on the road than car users, yet there is very little training given to drivers or additional safety measures in place to protect them.
"Having an appreciation of how different types of vehicles are likely to behave on the roads is essential to ensuring the safety of others – much more needs to be done to make the roads motorbike friendly.”
Matthew Claxson, a partner at law firm Moore Barlow who represents the Goulding family, said: “This is yet another case where the family of a motorcyclist has been left bereaved as the result of a road crash that could have been avoided.
"Had Mr Hamilton been more conscientious and changed his behaviour to account for a different type of road user, the outcome that day might have been very different. The case also highlights the importance of drivers notifying the DVLA of any reportable medical conditions.
“The design of the dual carriageway has been altered since the loss of Ross but there are a number of similar carriageways where modification may be appropriate.
"The road safety campaign ‘Think Once, Think Twice, Think Bike!’ remains as relevant today as it ever has been.
“Time and again, we see collisions where a car driver comes out relatively unscathed and a motorcyclist loses their life. If it were any other type of road user involved – pedal cyclists, pedestrians or horse riders – there would be strict road etiquette to follow.
"Yet there is little additional emphasis put on protecting motorcyclists in how we train new drivers or in the laws that govern use of our roads.”
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