The leading cause of death in motorcycle accidents are head injuries and TBI’s (traumatic brain injuries). Motorcycle accidents are much more life-threatening than some of the worst car accidents.
There is no typical motorcycle crash and it is almost always a violent event. 80% of motorcycle crashes result in either injury or death. Riders that walk away uninjured were likely either very lucky or were wearing very good protective gear including safety vest, helmet and gloves. Many motorcyclists are ejected from bike and make contact with the pavement resulting in broken bones and head injuries, especially if the rider was not wearing helmet. Ejection is also common if the rider brakes too quickly and strikes an object on the way to the ground.
Other factors play a role in whether the motorcycle operator was properly licensed or consumed alcohol before a crash. 43% of all fatal motorcycle crashes do involve alcohol. Driving a car is already nearly impossible while under the influence and operating a motorcycle with alcohol in a riders system is even more difficult and extremely dangerous to the safety of the rider.
Helmets save lives and some riders refuse to wear helmets due to comfort issues or overall appearance, among other reasons. Helmets take the impact that the head cannot afford to take. The outer shell of a helmet distributes the force of an impact to keep the skull from suffering injury. While riders still suffer concussions from the impact of a helmet hitting the pavement, it’s a much better scenario than the head hitting the pavement directly. The number of injuries that could result from a crash are greatly reduced.
Helmets work best when they fit the riders head snug and don’t move around too much while riding. Only helmets that meet federal safety standards should be worn. 57% of motorcyclists who were killed in accidents were in states where there are no helmet laws. Motorcycle helmet laws are effective in preventing deaths and keeping riders safe, even in the result of a crash. Helmets are 37% effective in preventing deaths to riders and can reduce head injury by over 69%.
Wearing safety gear can help prevent road rash, TBI’s and spinal cord injuries compared to being without any gear can end up causing long-term effects for the rider. Besides skull injuries and TBI’s being fatal, these injuries can prevent riders from ever working again or having the quality of life like they once did.
If you have suffered injury in an accident or one of your family members were in an accident, contact us today for a free case review. Our attorneys are ready to determine the best plan of action for your accident case.