A Devon road has been named as one of the most dangerous roads in the South West for motorcyclists.

The A381, which runs between Newton Abbot and Salcombe, is the 10th most dangerous road for motorbikes in the South West, according to research conducted by Swinton Insurance.

Research showed that there are 13 motorbike accidents in the South West per 100,000 people.

It was also found that 85 per cent of motorbike accidents occur during fine weather, and that Wednesday is the most common day for a crash in both the South West and nationally.

Those aged 25 are most likely to be in a motorbike accident on the A381, while men were 91 per cent more likely than women to be in a crash.

The A381 has previously been at the centre of a number of crashes, with already two crashes occurring on the road this year.

A previous accident resulted in the instant death of local motorcyclist, Julian Drew, in 2008 after losing control of his Suzuki GSXR 1000cc bike about half a mile from Kingsbridge Cricket Club. Another motorcyclist suffered serious head injuries in another incident in a collision between Slade Cross and Stumpy Cross in 2013.

Sgt Dave Green, of Kingsbridge Police, said he thought the A381, and other country roads, are particularly dangerous as “they feature unexpected bends, dips and hillcrests, blind junctions and gateways that open directly onto the highway” and are “used by farm machinery, cyclists and horse riders, any one of which could be just around a blind bend”.

Sgt Green further suggested that the state of these types of roads could be to blame: “The surface of such roads is not maintained to the same standard as motorways or dual carriageways, and frequently suffer from pot holes, flooded sections, wet leaves and loose surface material.”

To highlight how bikers can stay safe on dangerous roads, Swinton Insurance has teamed up with leading road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, to create a website dedicated to offering safety and guidance tips specifically for bikers.

Rodney Kumar, spokesman for IAM RoadSmart, said: “We often find that while drivers and motorcyclists strive to be as safe as possible, some find it a challenge to understand exactly how to do so. And as time passes after our driving and riding tests, some of the simple tips we learnt to help stay safe can fade into the background. That’s why it’s so important to offer useful and easily digestible information on how to be a safer rider.”

Dan Agate, from Swinton Insurance, said: “Motorcycle safety should always be front of mind for any rider, but awareness events like the UN Global Road Safety Week are great reminders of just how imperative it is to do what we can to stay safe on the road. And talking about it now to riders in across the nation, ahead of summer months, is really important. We hope our interactive map and guides help people to think more about safety with every journey they make, come rain or shine.”

Swinton Insurance and IAM RoadSmart’s road safety advice for bikers is available on their website: http://www.swinton.co.uk/spotlight/motorbiking/road-safety/national/