Motorcycle crashes can be absolutely devastating and can cause traumatic injuries. Even at low speeds, motorcycle injuries can be severe. Riding a motorcycle can be a fun, efficient way to get around your city; however, over 80 percent of all reported motorcycle crashes result in traumatic injury or death to the motorcyclist.
Most motorcycle crashes are caused by a car hitting a motorcyclist. Motorcycles are difficult to see on the road and many drivers do not look in their rear or side mirrors to see if a motorcycle is nearby. The motorcycle itself provides absolutely no injury protection for the rider. See below for some of the most common motorcycle accident injuries.
Many motorcycle crashes involve severe head injuries. When a motorcycle comes to a sudden stop, like in a motorcycle crash, and the rider is thrown from the seat, they may hit objects in their way as well as the ground. If the rider receives a traumatic brain injury from the accident impact, they may suffer from long-lasting side effects that can be life altering and financially costly. Motorcycle accident brain injury side effects can include concussion, seizures, sleep apnea, brain fog, difficulty with memory, and a variety of other issues that can vary depending upon what part of the brain was injured.
When a motorcycle accident happens, and a rider is thrown from their bike, they may slide sideways across the road, receiving an injury called road rash. The pavement will scrape through the rider’s clothing, reaching down to the skin, causing the skin to tear and rip. Road rash is not just a small cut or bruise. Road rash can lead to permanent damage to the rider’s nerves or cause severe skin infections and pain. If the road rash is extremely severe, and the skin has been scraped away down to the muscle, the muscles can suffer severe injuries.
The best way to prevent road rash is to wear thick, protective clothing designed for motorcycle riders. You may see motorcyclists wear thick leather pants, jackets, and gloves – all of which can help protect them and reduce the risk of road rash during a motorcycle crash.
Another very common motorcycle accident injury is the motorcyclist breaking one or more bones. Hard impacts on the road or against a vehicle can break bones in the rider’s body. Commonly broken bones include the skull, ribs, collarbone, and the bones in the arms and legs. Some breaks may just be minor fractures; however, severe breaks can lead to long recovery times and very high medical bills.
Wearing protective gear can help decrease the severity of bone breaks, but the best thing to do to help prevent broken bones while riding a motorcycle is to ride safely and defensively while on the road. Be aware of all other vehicles around you while you ride and do not speed or cut in front of other larger vehicles.
Spinal Cord Injury
Depending on how the motorcycle accident occurred, there is danger for a severe spinal cord injury to occur. The impact from the accident can send a rider flying off their bike, landing on the road, and/or their bike may land on top of their body. A spinal cord injury can result in paralysis of the rider’s entire body or specific regions of their body. This can devastate the rider’s life and require years of physical therapy and medical treatment.