Avoiding Motorcycle Injuries
Motorcycle riding comes with some inherent risks, but there are things that you can do to protect yourself as a rider. Here is a guide to injuries on motorcycles.
Types of Common Injuries
There have been numerous studies done on the types of injuries that are common in motorcycle accidents. For example, some studies show that the most common injuries in non-fatal crashes occur to the lower extremities, including the legs and feet. On the other hand, the highest number of injuries for both fatal and non-fatal car crashes goes to the head and neck. Protective equipment and driving can help motorcycle riders avoid each of these types of injuries.
Wearing Appropriate Equipment
Wearing the right protective gear goes a long way towards helping you avoid serious injury. To avoid those lower extremity injuries, wearing thick pants and sturdy shoes is important. They will help you avoid friction with the road in case you need to make an emergency stop or you are ejected from the motorcycle. Especially if the motorcycle falls on top of you as you fall, placing pressure on your leg as you skid along the ground, jeans are crucial to not have a lot of skin taken off.
A helmet is another piece of critical gear for motorcycle riding; it will help you to avoid the head and neck injuries that are common in fatal motorcycle accidents. Riding gloves are also a good idea for helping you to keep your grip on the handlebars and prevent your hands from getting cold, which could affect your dexterity at critical moments.
Defensive Driving
Being a defensive driver is another important aspect of motorcycle safety. When you're traveling at high speeds alongside much larger vehicles, it pays to have a defensive mindset so that you can anticipate the moves of the drivers around you. If you should collide with another vehicle, it' you in the most jeopardy because you're not shielded by the body of a car.
Lawyers and Motorcycle Injuries
Lastly, should you find yourself in a motorcycle accident, know that calling a personal injury lawyer right away can help you to recover your losses. Insurance claims may not be sufficient to cover the medical bills, lost wages, and emotional discomfort that can come with a motorcycle accident. To stay safe as a driver, it can even be helpful to have a motorcycle accident attorney like Gelman Gelman Wiskow & McCarthy LLC in mind beforehand so that you can act quickly if you ever need to.
