A CHARITY is encouraging drivers to be 'bike smart' during a road safety campaign, after it was revealed the South East had the highest number of bike deaths in the UK.

In 2017, people on bicycles and motorbikes accounted for nearly half (42 per cent) of all road deaths and serious injuries in the region.

Jack Schofield, a Reading-based volunteer for charity Brake, is support this year's Road Safety Week (November 19-25), following his brother's tragic death.

In June 2014, his brother Robbie was hit by a driver who was not wearing prescription glasses and veered onto the wrong side of the road, killing him 10 weeks before he was due to get married.

Jack said: “The pain of losing my brother Robbie in a bike crash will never go away, but we must learn from his death to prevent future tragedies taking place.

"The safety of motorcyclists can be improved by drivers being more aware of bikes and our roads having safer speeds with more bike-friendly design.

"We owe it to Robbie’s memory to protect motorcyclists and so I am fully supporting this year’s Road Safety Week that is encouraging everyone to be bike smart.”

Analysis by Brake has found that the South East had the highest number of bike deaths and serious injuries in the UK in 2017, with an average of five bike riders killed or seriously injured every day.

Cyclists and motorcyclists account for nearly four in 10 of all deaths and serious injuries on British roads, a total of 9,740 in 2017, or an average of one bike death or serious injury every hour.

Joshua Harris, director of campaigns at Brake, added: "Raising awareness about the safety of those on two wheels, who face much higher risk of death and serious injury than those in cars, is absolutely vital.

"We support the Government’s announcement of a review of the Highway Code to help keep cyclists safe and its stated focus on motorcyclists in the forthcoming road safety action plan.

“Road Safety Week is a vital loudspeaker for individuals, communities and organisations to shout about road safety and raise awareness of the risks on our roads.”