We already know that motorcycle accidents in Homestead and other communities mean risk. Motorcyclists have fewer layers of protection than drivers—there’s no air bag, enclosed frame, seat belt, and other car safety system to protect them. But does that mean motorcycle accidents can lead to more injuries when compared with car crashes?
According to a new study conducted by researchers from Sunnybrook Hospital and the University of Toronto, motorcycle accidents may indeed be deadlier. The large-scale study examined 281,826 people injured in car crashes and 26,831 individuals hurt in motorcycle collisions. The results showed that those in motorcycle accidents had three times the rate of injury when compared with patients injured in cars. In addition, motorcycle accident patients had injuries ten times more likely to be severe when compared with car collision victims.
The study found that motorcycle accidents resulted in injuries twice as expensive to treat in the first two years when compared with car accident injury treatment. The researchers concluded that part of the reason is because car design has changed to be safer over the past two decades while motorcycle safety and design has not adapted as rapidly. In fact, the study found that injury and fatalities attributed to motorcycle crashes has remained the same or has increased in the past twenty years (depending on the specific injury being examined) while injuries and fatalities attributed to cars have in many cases declined with new technological and safety advances.
What Does the Study Mean for You?
If you ride a motorcycle, you will want to consider your risk of motorcycle accidents and injuries in Homestead or your community. Experts agree that motorcycles have fewer protections when compared with cars and with motorcycles riders have an increased risk of injuries to the head, torso, thorax, legs, and arms. Helmets can reduce the risk of head injury but there are fewer options to provide robust protection for the rest of the body.
If you want to continue riding motorcycles, there are a few steps you will want to follow to reduce your risk of serious injury:
1) Always wear a helmet with face protection. It can reduce your risk of fatal head injury and save your life if you are in a collision. Make sure your helmet fits comfortably and is of a modern design offering good protection.
2) Work on your skills. Practice on simpler roads and get instruction from a professional instructor before you try riskier driving situations, such as heavy traffic, winding roads, or freeways. Work on becoming a smart and careful rider.
3) Follow the speed limit. Even minor debris on the road can cause a serious collision if you are speeding on a motorcycle. Riding at a safe speed (and slowing down for bad weather and other hazardous conditions) gives you more time to respond to any risks on the road, which can help you avoid some collisions.
4) Drive responsibly. Never get on your motorcycle if you’re distracted, upset, emotional, sleepy, sick, or not sober in any way. Only get on your motorcycle if you are able to operate the vehicle safely and put your full focus on the road.
5) Make yourself visible. Wear reflectors and use your lights. Make eye contact with drivers on the road or ride with a group. In some cases, motorcycle accidents in Homestead and other communities occur because drivers fail to notice a biker.
6) Drive defensively. Always think a few moves ahead. This keeps you from being distracted and allows you to anticipate and react to any possible hazards in your way.
If, despite your careful driving, you are injured, contact Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) to speak to a Homestead motorcycle accident attorney. Your first free consultation comes with no obligation and allows you to get information about your potential case.