Seventeen motorcyclists have died on Sussex roads already this year, one less than the total for 2003.

Sussex Police predict another ten will die before the year is out.

The shocking new figures were revealed following another weekend of motorbike carnage.

At Ashurst, near Henfield, one man died in one of five serious crashes.

On Tuesday last week two motorcyclists died, one at Henfield, one at Petworth.

Sussex Police today said some motorcyclists were apparently unconcerned about the effects their deaths would have on people close to them.

Inspector Simon Labbett, of the road policing unit, said: "In a study of rider attitudes at the British Superbike finals, of 177 riders who were questioned who had dependants, chillingly only about a third said they would be concerned about leaving their child without a parent as a result of their involvement in a collision."

Whether some have a careless attitude or not, the number of crashes continues to rise.

Mr Labbett said motorcyclists represented three per cent of the vehicle population in Sussex during the summer months.

"Yet in July, they accounted for a staggering 75 per cent of the total road deaths in the county," he said.

"Collision data shows July, August and September account for the majority of motorcycle fatalities.

"With August and September still left, we are expecting a further ten motorcyclists to be killed in the county.

"These collisions are likely to occur on rural 60mph roads with male riders aged between 25 and 45 and during good weather conditions.

"While this is a major cause for concern, it should be noted that not all groups of motorcyclists exhibit the same level of risk.

"The crash data shows that touring, classic, commuter and trial riders are rarely involved in fatal collisions.

"The vast majority of those killed are sports bike riders on recreational journeys.

"The overwhelming causes are rider error, often linked with violations of traffic laws.

"Riders often challenge these figures, blaming the collisions on the car driver failing to see them.

"This is a common type of collision in urban areas known as the 'look but fail to see error' but the reality is that riders rarely die from these types of collisions.

"Rider attitude is a major concern.

"Many sports bike riders enjoy the sensation of speed.

"The danger is that, with the excellent performance and handling of modern race-derived machines, it often gives the rider an illusion of control.

"Many riders say they only ride fast when it is safe.

"Sadly, the road environment is not compatible with such a mistaken belief and the fatal statistics are there for everyone to see."

Mr Labbett said police, East and West Sussex county councils and Brighton and Hove City Council had been trying to change attitiudes.

He said: "Sports motorcyclists not only need to recognise rider error is a major factor but that the road is not a safe environment to ride in an anti-social style.

"Typically, this involves inappropriate speed, noise and behaviour.

"These riders are causing significant alienation from communities they ride through, creating a further mistaken perception that all motorcyclists are a problem to society."

He appealed to sports bike riders: "Don't add to the list of fatalities."