Every year, thousands of motorcycle riders die in tragic crashes. Motorcycle riding is inherently dangerous. That’s been discussed in other posts. With all the bad press and unfortunate statistics, you may wonder if its even possible to survive a motorcycle crash. Well, the answer may depend on a few things
- Gear being used
- Where did it occur
- Speed Involved
What gear are you using?
Let the image of the old school , hard core biker sit a bit. Riding with a T-Shirt, leather vest, and sunglasses with Easy Rider playing in the background. Paints a picture of freedom and Americana. The unfortunate , other side, of that picture is that it also leaves you exposed and ready for injury. The motorcycle industry has done a great job modifying materials, added layers, and technifying gear. Gloves with special layers and components to protect your hands and fingers from both impact and road rash.
Jackets and pants (jeans) have evolved into highly technical safety components. Specialized padding or armor at the most likely impact and slide points. Back, elbow, knee, hip, and shoulders are all reinforced. Some jackets even have a customizable capability. Upgrade the type and amount of armor being used.
Helmets, while still a polarizing topic, are gaining in popularity. The truth is, helmets prevent the most likely serious injury (aside from immediate death) that a rider may experience. Head injury or traumatic brain injury is one of the most common end results for those without a helmet. There can be no denying though. The popularity and acceptance of motorcycle helmets has increased. Not entirely due to the safety components. Today’s rider wants to be connected, while still living free. The best way to do that is to have a helmet with integrated or added connectivity. Our phones rule our lives. So allowing the rider to still be connected to the phone for everything from messaging to turn by turn navigations is maybe one of the quickest factors to sway riders. So while being connected to your distracting phone may work against the actual safety of the rider, using a helmet overall will increase the chances of the rider being able to survive a motorcycle crash.
How you crash matters
Despite the exciting action sequences in movies like The Matrix or Mission Impossible, jumping off your motorcycle in the event of a crash is maybe not the safest thing to do. By jumping off or letting go of your ride preventatively will potentially put you in a direct path to absorb the impact of another vehicle , guard rail, or even tree all alone. While there may not be a safety cage like you have in cars and trucks, the motorcycle is solid and offers a layer crushable material prior to whatever is coming your way actually hitting you.
If you have some control over where the crash will happen, look for the softest landing point. A grassy ditch it better than oncoming traffic. Its not always possible to control it, but every little adjustment you can make will help you.
Once you are down, picture yourself sliding into home. Relax and lean back. Being locked up and rigid will only increase the potential joint and bone damage.
Prevention goes a long way
Since motorcycle riding comes with a great deal of risks and exposures, the best thing you can do do increase the chances of you surviving a motorcycle crash is to prevent it from happening in the first place.
- Speed
- Impairment (alcohol & drugs)
- Ego
- Skills Level
- Defensive vs Offensive Riding
- Scanning and lane placement