Oxfordshire County Council's Road Safety Team and Thames Valley Police are staging a special event at Abingdon College to help cut the number of accidents involving young motorcyclists.

The event, titled Operation Pit Stop, will take place on Wednesday, May 19, between 8am and 10.30am, and is aimed at 16 to 20-year-old riders - an age group at particular risk of being involved in a collision according to statistics.

County council and police officers will talk to youngsters about the importance of wearing protective equipment and hand out free reflective jackets and other safety gear at the event.

Police motorcyclists will also be on hand to remind young riders of the legal requirements of taking their motorcycles or mopeds out on the road and how to maintain them to keep themselves safe.

Figures for the last five years show a total of 352 accidents involving 16 to 20-year-old bikers in Oxfordshire. Of the 77 riders killed or seriously injured, 56 (73 per cent of the total) were riding motorcycles or mopeds with engines of 125cc or less. Of the 280 16 to 20-year-olds who were injured while riding a 125cc of less engine bike, 20 per cent (56) were killed or seriously injured.

Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet member for transport, Rodney Rose, said: "It appears to be largely inexperience that puts these young riders most at risk and although, fortunately, we don’t see such high numbers killed as those on ‘big bikes’, twenty percent of these casualties were killed or seriously injured.”

He added: “I hope the examination and repair of vehicles and advice about good safety clothing will help reduce the number of young riders injured on our roads.”

PC Stephen Jenkins, from Thames Valley Police, said: “We are not out to prosecute young motorcyclists. Operation Pit Stop is all about educating young riders about the dangers they face.

"We just want them to get proper training and wear decent quality protective equipment so they don’t become another statistic.”