Riding a motorcycle is dangerous. Motorcycles comprise just two percent of all registered vehicles in the United States, yet approximately five percent of highway deaths each year involve motorcyclists and their passengers. The risk of serious injury and death for motorcyclists in collisions with cars and trucks is significantly higher than the risk to drivers and passengers in cars. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that per mile traveled, the number of deaths on motorcycles was about 35 times the number in cars.
The chief reason motorcyclists are at risk is that the motorcycle itself provides virtually no protection in a crash. An automobile provides structural protection in the form of a steel cage surrounding the occupants, and passenger restraint systems like seat belts and airbags. A car also has greater stability because it rides on four wheels. A motorcycle's smaller size also means that is harder to see; many crashes occur because the driver of the other vehicle did not see the motorcycle.
The simplest and most effective protection is to wear a helmet. Helmets reduce the number of deaths and traumatic brain injuries, and they reduce overall medical costs. The NHTSA estimates that wearing a safety-rated, properly fitted helmet reduces the likelihood of cyclist and passenger death in a motorcycle crash by 37 per cent.
In every state that has enacted universal motorcycle helmet laws or reinstated a preexisting helmet law, helmet use has increased dramatically, and motorcyclist deaths and injuries have decreased. In states that has repealed or weakened their universal helmet laws, helmet use declined sharply, and motorcyclist deaths and injuries rose.
Riders not wearing a helmet have higher health care costs as a result of their crash injuries. NHTSA reviewed 25 studies of the costs of injuries from motorcycle crashes, and found that across the board, helmet use reduced the fatality rate, the probability and severity of head injuries, the cost of medical treatment and length of hospital stay, the necessity for special medical treatments, and probability of long-term disability.
What is the most dangerous time for motorcyclists? Night is the most dangerous time, because visibility is reduced. Sixty per cent of motorcycle fatal injuries occur at night. Protective clothing should be bright colored, with reflective strips, to increase motorcyclists' visibility to other drivers
Can rider training courses help? The Motorcycle Safety Foundation, a group supported by motorcycle manufacturers, strongly recommends a basic motorcycle training course for every beginning motorcyclist and frequent refresher courses for all riders.
How does motorcycle engine size affect the motorcycle injury death and rate? The NHTSA found that motorcycle engine size is directly correlated with the number of fatal crashes. In 2004, mid-size engines (501 to 1,000 cc) showed the largest numbers with 1,631 fatalities, followed by the largest engines (1,001 to 1,500 cc) with 1,542 fatalities. Smaller engine (up to 500 cc) fatalities have been decreasing over the years, with 221 fatalities in 2004.
After a motorcycle crash, what resources will I have to pay my medical expenses? Most people will have insurance that will help pay medical bills, either their health insurance or through the health care provision in their automobile insurance policy. These are called first party benefits, and they are the usual first resource for payment for medical expenses related to a motorcycle injury.
If win compensation in a lawsuit is my insurance company entitled to reimbursement for medical bills they have paid?Most insurance policies have a contractual provision stipulating that the insurance company has a right to seek recovery for reimbursement. A good motorcycle accident lawyer will negotiate the best possible terms with your insurance company for reimbursement from the proceeds of your case.