What is the Most Common Motorcycle Injury?
Motorcycles pose a safety risk, even for the most cautious drivers on the road because they are less stable and less visible than cars, vans, and trucks. When motorcycles crash, riders lack the protection of being enclosed and are more likely to be injured or killed.
Most Common Motorcycle Injury
The most common motorcycle injury is to a rider’s feet or legs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When a fall takes place, a rider may put their hands out to protect themselves, yet hands and arms were much lower on the scale of injuries than feet or legs, which represent 30% of non-fatal injuries. This data highlights the importance of wearing a good pair of shoes that won’t slip off in a crash, like boots that zip, clip, or tie up above the ankle. Riders may also want to invest in long pants that have abrasion protection.
Other Common Motorcycle Injuries
The second most common motorcycle injury is to the head and neck, accounting for 22% occurrences.
Your head is one of the most important and heaviest parts of the body. While concussions may be mild, brain damage may be debilitating, or worse – fatal. Neck injuries may include everything from sprains to paralysis. Protect your head and neck from potential injuries by wearing a helmet at all times.
Road rashes occur when a rider slides across the pavement after an accident. This injury may result in more than just a cut, scrape, or bruise – such as permanent damage to the skin, irritation, infection, and even surface nerve damage. Consider wearing protective garments like kneepads, gloves, and a jacket. Leather is the best material to prevent road rash.
Injuries to the chest, back, shoulders, hands, arms, hips, and pelvis are also commonly caused by motorcycle accidents. As when driving a car, stay alert, follow the direction of traffic, avoid impulsive and unpredictable movements, and wear mandatory safety gear.
While only 19 states and the District of Columbia have laws requiring all motorcyclists wear a helmet, being cautious is better than sustaining any of these injuries.
