Wirral biker calls for more care on the roads after horror smash

The mum-of-two said the incident left her nervous of large vehicles coming out of side roads.

A biker from Wallasey, left in permanent pain after a crash, has released photographs of her injuries in the hope it encourages car and van drivers to be mindful of more vulnerable road users.

Elaine Velho was a passenger on a motorbike riding past the Royal Oak on High Street, Bromborough, in Summer 2022, when she was hit by a car coming out of a side road. She was flung onto the road along with the rider, leaving them both battered, bruised and in need of hospital treatment.

She said: "The bike went over the central reservation and landed in the middle of the opposite lane. Thankfully the traffic lights on the other side must have been on red, because there was no immediate traffic. If there had, it would have been carnage.

Elaine wants these photographs to act as a reminder to car drivers to be more mindful on the roads.

"I was incredibly lucky that I got away without any broken bones, because I was completely armoured up in full leathers. I had a concussion, and facial bruising even with a helmet on. I still have pain in my left shoulder, right hip, a contusion in my left calf, and my ribs were so badly bruised I couldn't move."Elaine, 58, and the rider of the bike - who suffered a broken arm - were taken to Arrowe Park hospital for treatment. The driver of the car was unharmed, Elaine said.She said: "When the police came to take an interview the next week, they said 'we didn't think you were going to make it'. They were convinced neither one of us had any severe traumas purely by chance. The bike was a write-off completely."The driver's comment was 'they came from nowhere'. We didn't - we came along the same road as everybody else. We were going the same speed as everybody else. The bike was red and it had lights on it, it was broad daylight, it was good conditions with no rain. It was late afternoon, and the traffic was light."The mum-of-two, who is a member of Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) which campaigns on behalf of bikers across the UK, said the incident left her nervous of large vehicles coming out of side roads. She was forced to take a break from the roads, and traded in her high-powered motorbike for a smaller, less powerful version.Two years on, Elaine says a new national campaign to encourage drivers to remain aware of motorcyclists on the roads is long overdue.

Elaine Velho is a member of Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) which campaigns on behalf of bikers across the UK

She said: "Bikers do the same driving test as car drivers, but then you have to take two tough modules about safety, blind spot checks, because we know we're vulnerable road users. We know we take the risks, but increasingly we're seeing drivers on mobile phones. A lot of drivers and other road users don't look for motorbikes - they're looking for a much bigger vehicle."There used to be campaigns on TV about looking out for bikes, but now we don't see anything. Because motorcyclists are one of the most vulnerable users on the roads, a campaign to increase awareness and encourage drivers to make sure people are looking out for motorbikes is needed."The average age of bikers I know is 65 to 70. We're not joy riders or Hell's Angels. We're just a bunch of bikers who meet in New Brighton on a Saturday and go for rides when we can in Wales or Lancashire."She added: "I still have pain in my left knee, right hip, left shoulder, and I've still got a bit of a scar on my head. But the psychological impact is far more damaging. I've been driving 37 years and even now I have issues with people coming out from the left. I have never been a nervous driver, but things like that have an impact."