Force receives UK’s first motorcycle simulator to improve road safety awareness

Devon & Cornwall Police is using a new motorcycle simulator, the first of its kind in the UK, to pilot a national initiative to test the effectiveness of simulated hazard awareness training and its impact on the reduction of serious and fatal collisions.

Funded as part of a successful bid to the Department for Transport and Vision Zero South West, the simulator is part of national road safety scheme called Project APEX.

The simulator uses a Honda CB500X motorbike and is operated using custom software to test the rider’s hazard awareness skills with authentic controls including brakes, clutch, throttle, and indicators to replicate real-life road conditions.

Riders aged 16 and up can use the simulator which includes being surrounded by integrated video screens to provide a truly immersive experience. It seeks to replicate a huge range of road layouts, weather conditions and driving environments, and is enhanced by realistic vibration, surround sound and working wing mirrors.

The force is working with Vision Zero South West road safety partnership to help reduce the number of riders injured or killed on the roads. This is complemented by Operation Cosset, which ran throughout 2023. This saw police drones used to detect unsafe motorcycle riders and assisted officers to provide education surrounding reducing risk on the roads.

“Motorcyclists are one of the highest risk road users in Devon and Cornwall and across the UK, and we’re hoping the simulator will help us to provide vital skills to inexperienced riders in a safe environment.

“Every death and serious injury on our roads has a devastating impact. We’ll be using the simulator at every available opportunity to engage with riders about how they can hone their skills and help us to reduce the number of deaths or serious injuries on UK roads.”

Ian Harvey, Motorcycle Casualty Reduction Officer, Devon & Cornwall Police.

Over coming months, the team will be taking the simulator to colleges across Devon and Cornwall, where students will have the opportunity to speak to the team and evaluate their experience, providing vital feedback to the national project in terms of the suitability of using the simulator as a potential training aid.

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