SEVEN motorcyclists have been killed already this summer as police last night appealed for all road users to drive more safely.

Four were killed in a 13-day period in May, while two others died in four days last month. Police fear the forecast of a good summer will see more motorcyclists on the roads – and more fatalities.

A summer police safety call was backed by motor-cyclist Paula Clack, 40, whose fiancé Mick Inceman died in a motorcycle crash near Thame last year.

Insp Paul Winks, of Thames Valley police’s roads policing, said: “We have two types of motorcyclists. The first are on their bikes 365 days of the year.

“The second go out in groups on superbikes when the sun comes out and use Oxfordshire’s roads bec- ause they are fast roads.

“This second group is a problem we are working hard to address.

“These are primarily the people we are dealing with for fatal and serious injury crashes.

“Bikers are only a small proportion of road users but a high proportion of those killed.

“There seem to be riders coming here to use the fast rural roads and some are driving in an antisocial manner.

“We are taking steps to deal with them. It has to be stressed, however, that not all of these deaths or crashes are the fault of the riders.”

Latest figures from Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership show that speed and drink-driving are still the main cause of accidents in which people are killed or badly injured.

Last year, 343 people were seriously injured or killed.

In 34 serious crashes, alcohol was the main cause and in 27 it was because the driver was exceeding the speed limit.

Fatigue was blamed for 15, mobile phones for two and six blamed on drugs.

Insp Winks added: “The problem with drink-driving has not gone away.

“We were successful at one stage in reducing it, but it appears to be increasing – especially among younger drivers.

“In some collisions speed has been the major factor and I can think of two motorcycle crashes this year where that has been the case.

“But usually it is a combination of factors where the driver is speeding but also over the limit, has been taking drugs or is tired.”

He said “in almost every collision” driver error played a part.

Father-of-two Mr Inceman, 42, was an experienced motorcyclist and died three weeks before his wedding a year ago.

Ms Clack, who has since learned to ride a motorbike, said: “A lot of people get to the stage where they think they are infallible and it’s never going to happen to them.

“But what if it does happen to them? It will be other people who suffer the most.

“Biking is fun and you could be out having a jolly good time.

“But without care, think what would happen to your wife, parents or children.”

Police last month launched a free six-hour Safer Rider course for motorcyclists at Upper Heyford.

To book a place log on to saferrider.org or drivetech.com