1/3/2002 Immediate release

Motorcyclists welcome new insurance training initiative.

MAG Ireland, Ireland's representative organisation for motorcyclists, welcomes the new initiative by Hibernian insurance to offer premium discounts to trained riders.

Under the scheme riders successfully completing a course of instruction consisting of one and a half hours in a classroom and five hours on the road will be able to claim a 20% discount on their insurance. The courses will be run by the Irish Rider Training Association which was set up by the Irish Motorcyclist's Action Group to ensure quality affordable training is available to all Irish riders. To be eligible for the scheme riders must already possess a full licence.

"This is something which MAG has been requesting for a number of years" stated Motorcyclists' Action Group (MAG) Campaigns Officer Karen Kiely. "Voluntary training with a financial incentive is the most realistic option to improve standards amongst riders and we thank Hibernian for taking our ideas on board".

Motorcyclists themselves have put training facilities in place largely relying on volunteer time and effort but without financial incentives the applications for training rely on riders themselves recognising a need for training.

A large number of Irish motorcyclists have never received formal training or tests and are still on provisional licences. Motorcycles and mopeds are the first vehicle for many riders and the restrictions on provisional licences of not going abroad, carrying passengers or using motorways are irrelevant to many riders. Up until recently holding a full licence for a motorcycle made no difference to insurance premiums.

ENDS

Background:

MAG Ireland (Irish Motorcyclist's Action Group) was set up in 1985 and represents the interests of Ireland's 30,000 motorcyclists, scooterists and moped users.

Areas tackled by MAG Ireland include road safety, training, road conditions, technical harmonisation, tax issues, consumer issues affecting riders, licencing and insurance.

MAG Ireland offers a wide range of benefits to its membership of over four thousand riders including discounts at many retail outlets and events, a subscription to Ireland's
largest circulation motorcyclist magazine, a health insurance scheme and information service.

For further information call MAG Campaigns Officer Karen Kiely at the MAG Office (01) 4530797