Family Marks First Anniversary Of Fatal Crash By Supporting Drive To Reduce Number of Bike Casualties

A widow whose motorcyclist husband was killed in a crash is marking the first anniversary of his death by backing a road safety campaign.

Clive Burdett, of Doncaster, was fatally injured when his Moto Guzzi motorbike was hit by a Land Rover Freelander 4X4.

Following the collision Clive’s widow, Janine Harding, instructed specialist lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to help investigate the collision.  The Freelander driver last month pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving.

Janine has now joined her legal team at Irwin Mitchell in supporting Road Safety Week. This year the annual campaign is urging motorists to be ‘Bike Smart’ to help reduce the number of motorcyclists and cyclists injured or killed in collisions.

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“The last 12 months have been an incredibly raw and emotional time for Janine and her family and shows how a lapse in concentration from the driver has left them facing a lifetime of hurt and pain.

“Road Safety Week is an important time to reflect on the responsibility that all of us have to keep ourselves and others safe from harm on the road.

“We fully support the campaign and join Janine in asking motorists to be aware of other road users at all times to help reduce the number of serious accidents involving motorcyclists and cyclists.” Glen Whitehead - Associate Solicitor

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Clive, 49, was originally from Cheltenham. He moved to Mexborough in 2002 and met Janine three years later. The couple married in 2006 and had a son.

Clive was riding home from his job as a payroll administrator at Barnsley Hospital on 15 November, 2017, when the collision happened on the A61 Upper Sheffield Road in Worsborough, Barnsley.

The Land Rover pulled out from Knowle Road into Clive’s path. He was dragged under the vehicle suffering multiple head, spine and pelvic injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Clive had previously worked with St John Ambulance and had received a certificate for advanced bike riding. Clive had also completed speed awareness courses and even ridden with the police in a rider awareness course. 

Janine, 47, said: “It might be a year on from Clive’s death but the terrible grief and pain our family continues to feel is as fresh now as it was 12 months ago.

“Clive was such a careful rider but all the training and experience in the world could not prepare him for what happened that day.

“Nothing will bring Clive back, but if by campaigning to raise awareness of the need for drivers to be aware of motorcyclists our family can save a life, then at least his death will not have been totally in vain and something will have been achieved.”

The Freelander driver, Amanda Fitzpatrick, 30, of Barnsley, is due to be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on 7 December in connection with Clive’s death.

Road Safety Week runs from 19-25 November. This year’s ‘Bike Smart’ theme aims to reduce the number of cyclists and motorcyclists killed or injured on the roads.

In 2016 a total of 19,297 motorcyclists and 18,477 cyclists were either killed or injured, according to the most recent figures from the Department for Transport.