A shocking figure and reminder to improve on road safety for riders, passengers and other road users this Motorcycle Awareness Month, supported by Transport NSW in conjunction with the Motorcycle Council of Australia.

According to Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance, up to 60 motorcyclists are killed and more than 1,000 seriously injured on NSW roads each year.

"We have seen a disturbing increase in the number of fatalities, with 39 motorcyclists killed between January and August this year, 13 more than the same time period last year," Mr Constance said.

President of the Griffith Classic Motorcycle Club Barry Day said that another issue for concern for motorcycle riders was a 'lack of awareness' from other road users.

"Generally a lot of road users aren't motorcycle aware," Mr Day said.

"Other drivers are our biggest safety issue, the biggest cause of accidents.

It's important that drivers are conscious they are sharing the road with motorcycles, there would be half as many accidents if drivers were motorcycle aware."

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said there was 'nothing worse' than the receiving the phone call to say a loved one had been in an accident and was lying on a road.

"We need to ensure we are doing everything possible to get riders home safely to their families at the end of the day," Mr Toole said.

"That means improving awareness among other road users, encouraging proper use of safety gear, keeping a lookout for hazards and sticking to the speed limit."

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Excessive speed is the primary culprit to road fatalities, ending the lives of more than half of recorded fatalities this year.

"Please stick to the speed limit to keep yourself and others safe on our roads, and remember you can be caught speeding anywhere, anytime," Mr Constance said.

Motorcycle Council of NSW General Committee Member Justin Dorward said they will be running various online activities aimed at educating drivers and riders about safety and motorcycle awareness this month.

"We are encouraging all road users to get involved with these activities, to better understand their responsibility on NSW roads," Mr Dorward said.

"We believe it is important to provide this information to drivers and riders to remind them of the importance of being aware of their surroundings and the road safety rules."

For safety tips and information about the risks motorcyclists face on the road, please visit the Ride to Live website at www.ridetolive.nsw.gov.au

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