Bikers in British Columbia could be facing mandatory motorcycle training after a study found more riders on Canadian roads has led to increased accidents.

But they won't be alone.

Following a coroner's panel review of 286 motorcycle deaths in British Columbia from 2000 to 2007, Solicitor-General Kash Heed has publicly stated the need for regulations that would make education mandatory for motorcycle riders as well as drivers.

“It's clear that with more riders on the road, motorcycle safety is an area where improvements need to be made, and that's what this government is going to do,” Heed said in a news release.

Last year there were almost 94,000 registered motorcycles on British Columbia roads, up from about 60,000 in 2004. Statistics from the Insurance Corp. of British Columbia (ICBC) show that in 2008 there were 1,295 casualty crashes involving motorcycles, up from 1,035 in 2004. According to the statistics 37 percent of motorcycle accidents in British Columbia are single-vehicle crashes. But when there was another vehicle involved, the biker was only considered to be at fault 25 percent of the time.

The new recommendations include requiring industry certification of helmets, setting up a graduated-licence program for new riders, implementing a zero-tolerance blood-alcohol policy for new riders, examining existing standards of training schools and urging other motorists to watch out for motorcyclists.

And including drivers as well as riders in this new safety focus has advocates happy with the new direction. Awareness and being seen on roads has long been something riders have strived for and one of the first lessons taught in any motorcycle safety course.

The efforts by riders to be seen even surprised Harley-Davidson who say a line of orange, high-visibility vests sell beyond any of the most optimistic expectations.

"We want to take a proper, comprehensive approach for [motorcyclists]," Solicitor-General Kash Heed explained, "but at the same time we want to make sure that new drivers of motor vehicles ... know what they can do to prevent fatalities such as the 286 the coroner reviewed."