“When I hop on the bike I know I am going to have to give way to everything,” Mr Stokes said. “Even if you have right of way, you have to give way. It seems to me motorists don’t see you or acknowledge you most of the time.”

He said the government had created good ads aimed at motorcycle riders, but little had been done to educate motor vehicle drivers to look out for motorcycles. 

“Some are obviously oblivious to the motorbike being there,” Mr Stokes said. 

This week, NSW Police and Ambulance have appealed to all road users to exercise greater caution after it was revealed 33 people have been killed in motorcycle accidents on NSW roads this year. 

The figure represents six more lives lost compared to the same time last year. 

The Hunter and New England area had the highest number of motorcycle incidents, 1538, attended by ambulance since 2013. 

Over the same period of time, Northern NSW police, covering a region from Newcastle to Murwillumbah, have attended 69 fatalities involving motorcycles, while 220 were killed across the state.  

Police figures show the number of motorcycles and scooters on NSW roads has risen 216 per cent over 16 years. 

Police Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy said he did not want to single out any one group of road-users because all had a role to play in improving safety. 

“The road is there to be shared safely, for the benefit of all road users,” he said.

He said some motorcyclists took risks by speeding, drink or drug riding, not wearing proper helmets and riding fatigued or distracted, while some motor vehicle drivers, cyclists and pedestrians did not keep a proper look out for motorcyclists and were creating hazards. 

Motorcycle Council of NSW’s  Justin Dorward said motorcyclists were generally “good risk managers” despite stereotypes, and there were two things motor vehicle drivers could do to improve motorcycle safety. “Not be distracted, that is tremendously risky to us,” he said. “Look out for us, think bikes.”

MOTORCYCLISTS are being urged to sign up for a new tool aimed at aiding emergency services responding to motorcycle crashes. 

The motorcycle CRASH Card is a small card that motorcyclists and their passengers carry in their helmets. It provides emergency service personnel with ready access to vital medical information, saving valuable time and assisting with treatment, especially if the rider is either unconscious or unable to communicate.

The card was launched in 2016 by Hornsby Shire Council. It has since distributed more than 45,000 cards. Hornsby Shire Deputy Mayor Michael Hutchence said the card can make a significant difference to a patient injured in a motorcycle crash. 

“It’s just a simple thing riders can do that one day might save their life,” he said.

To order the CRASH Card visit hornsby.nsw.gov.au/crashcard