Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle Accidents
Every year over 65,000 motorcyclists
are injured in America. Usually, drivers involved in an accident with
motorcycles fail to see the motorcyclists until the moment just before
impact. Motorcycles do not have the kind of protection that cars or
trucks have. This makes motorcyclists particularly vulnerable to
severe injuries in accidents. A motorcycle rider or passenger is 5 times
more likely to be injured in an accident than the occupant of an
automobile.
Injuries Suffered from Motorcycle Accidents:
Motorcyclists are at a much greater risk
of being seriously injured or placed on permanent disability because
of motorcycle accidents. Keep the following safety rules in mind to
reduce the likelihood that you will be involved, or seriously injured,
in a motorcycle accident:
- Your visibility is key to avoiding accidents. Be as visible as possible to other drivers. By keeping your wearing reflective gear, headlights on during the daytime, and equipping your bike with a fairing or windshield, the chance that other drivers will see you will be greatly diminished.
- Receive adequate training. Statistically, motorcyclists who are well trained on how to ride and care for their bikes are less likely to be involved in motorcycle accidents than riders who forego training and teach themselves.
- Wear a helmet and proper riding gear. A motorcyclist’s best protection against a serious injury in a motorcycle accident will be their helmet. Helmets for motorcyclists are like seatbelts for drivers. Wearing a helmet is a simple way to reduce the likelihood that an accident you are involved in will be fatal. Also, wear eye protection, gloves, appropriate footwear, leg guards and jackets limit abrasions when accidents do occur.
Why Is It So Important To Wear A
Helmet On Motorcycles?
Riding a motorcycle gives riders a sense of freedom on the open
road. However, there are serious dangers involved in riding without a helmet.
A motorcycle does not provide the structural protection that a car
does to keep drivers safe in the event of an accident.
Motorcyclists need to take extra precautions to protect their
body. The most important place to start is by protecting the head.
The head and brain is most
vulnerable to injury in a motorcycle
accident. Drivers and passengers wearing helmets increase their chance of
survival significantly over non-helmet wearers.
It is important for motorcyclists to understand the risks of
riding without a helmet. Riders who do
not wear helmets are at risk of suffering a traumatic brain injury if they are
in an accident. Without protection, the head is vulnerable to a traumatic
impact in an accident even when traveling at low speeds.
National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration studies of non-fatal
motorcycle injuries reveal that riders who did not wear a helmet had higher
health care costs, longer hospitalization, longer recovery periods, and an
increased loss in quality of life.
Traumatic brain injuries that are non-fatal usually have serious
and long-term results. Brain trauma often results in spinal cord injuries and
disability that require extended care and physical therapy. In addition, the damaged
brain may deteriorate after hospitalization and die days to weeks after the
injury due to secondary injury.
Because of the fatal risk of traumatic brain
injury is so high, it is crucial for motorcyclists to take action to protect
themselves while riding. Wearing a helmet that is approved by the Department of
Transportation is one of many precautions a rider can take to increase safety
on the open road.
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