Summer is one of the busiest times of year for motorcyclists on Highland roads, with thousands of riders travelling the North Coast 500 and other scenic routes across the region.

As traffic increases during the holiday season, road safety experts are urging drivers to take extra care at junctions, where many serious collisions involving motorcycles happen.

The appeal comes after new figures showed 384 motorcyclists lost their lives on Britain’s roads during 2025, a 13 per cent increase on the previous year.

According to the Government’s THINK! campaign, around 10 motorcyclists are killed or seriously injured at junctions every day, making them one of the most dangerous places riders encounter.

Road safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist says many of these collisions happen because drivers simply fail to register an approaching motorcycle, despite looking in its direction.

The mistake is so common it has its own name, “SMIDSY”, short for “Sorry mate, I didn’t see you.”

James Luckhurst, Head of Road Safety at GEM Motoring Assist, said:

“As drivers we can sometimes find it difficult to identify approaching motorcyclists because they occupy such a small part of our field of vision.

“If we are not expecting to see one, the chance of spotting one coming towards us is reduced, and the risk of a collision rises.

“The summer brings more riders out on the roads, so we need to make a habit of looking out for them on every journey and ensuring we avoid a ‘SMIDSY’ collision.

“Before pulling out of any junction, look carefully all around and make a specific check for motorcyclists coming towards you.

“If you expect them to be there, you are far more likely to see them in good time and prevent a potentially serious collision.”

Drivers are being encouraged to slow down at junctions, make a deliberate check for motorcycles before pulling out and remember that riders can be much closer than they first appear.

Motorcyclists are also being reminded to ride defensively, position themselves where they are most visible and assume that waiting drivers may not have seen them.

With the Highlands welcoming riders from across the UK and beyond throughout the summer, a few extra seconds spent looking properly at every junction could make the difference between a memorable road trip and a life changing collision.