If the long winter has left you with a bad case of cabin fever, there is good news—Spring has arrived! Finally, the days are getting longer, and the temperatures are becoming consistently warmer. Now is a great time to break free from the long winter’s gloom. It is also the perfect time to try a new hobby or activity that allows you to enjoy more time outdoors. Perhaps, you are considering buying a motorcycle so that you can explore the countryside and feel the wind in your face. If learning to ride a motorcycle is on your bucket list, you may curious to know if it is as risky as some say it is.
Facts
To determine the riskiness of riding a motorcycle, it is important to compare it with another activity. For example, driving a car. Driving a car is one of the most dangerous things most of us do daily, yet we all still do it without batting an eyelash. So a better question to ask is how much more dangerous is riding a motorcycle than a car? To answer that question, we need to examine the facts:
- Fact #1 – Motorcycles are less stable than cars. One of the benefits of riding in a passenger vehicle is having four wheels in contact with the pavement. On a motorcycle, when the rider needs to swerve to avoid another vehicle or brake hard, the cycle can wobble or become unstable.
- Fact #2 – Motorcycles offer riders less protection. When you are riding in a car, you are protected by a metal shell and a windshield. You also have protections inside the car such as seat belts and airbags. Motorcycles offer their rides very little in terms of protection. Most bikes do not have airbags, and they do not offer seat belts. Less protection means that a minor fender in terms of a car accident could be deadly when the same accident involves a motorcycle.
- Fact #3 – Motorcycles, due to their smaller size, are less visible to drivers than other passenger vehicles. Motorcycles are more likely to be hit because drivers do not see them or not until it is too late.
Bottom Line
After reviewing the facts, it is easy to clear to see that riding a motorcycle is much riskier than driving a car. In fact, according to data collected by the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) and HLDI (Highway Loss Data Institute) per mile traveled, motorcycle deaths were 28 times that of car accident deaths. However, for some prospective riders, that is part of the appeal. The good news is that are ways to be safer and decrease one’s chance of being in an accident. The following tips can help keep riders safe:
- Always wear a helmet. Helmets are 37% effective at preventing death and 67% effective at preventing brain injuries.
- Wear protective gear. If you are involved in an accident, you want something covering your body’s largest organ—i.e., your skin—to keep in front being left on the asphalt.
- Always assume drivers cannot see you, even if you are not in their blind spots.
- Never rely on drivers to follow the rules of the road.
- Never ride under the influence.
- Just because you know how to drive a car does not mean you know anything about riding a motorcycle. Experienced riders are better at with dealing with the unexpected. New riders to practice, practice driving at night, balancing, and reacting to other vehicles. Large empty lots are great places to hone your skills.
The bottom line is if you want to become a rider, be a smart rider.
If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident, the seasoned Personal Injury Attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. can help. Our experienced team of Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys will make sure that your rights are protected and that you receive the compensation you deserve. Trust our team of Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys to help you as they have helped countless motorcycle injury victims around the area, in both Kansas and Missouri. To schedule a consultation with one of our skilled injury attorneys, contact Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. today at (816) 472-4673.