Motorcycle riders who are involved in an accident are more likely to experience catastrophic injuries than those in other types of wrecks because the rider lacks the added protection of safety devices such as seat belts as well as the weight of a car or truck to shield them.
In fact, statistics show that a motorcycle rider is 30 times more likely to die from an accident than any other type of vehicle driver. At the same time while deaths in all other types of vehicle wrecks have shown a slight decline - those of motorcycle riders have increased slightly each year.
Automobile manufacturers pour millions of dollars each year into designing safety features for their products. The question is - are there any safety devices on motorcycles?
Unfortunately the short answer to this is not many. Three fourths of motorcycle accidents involve a collision with another vehicle and 2/3rds of these are the result of motorists - not motorcycle driver - error.
When a motorcycle is hit the rider is usually thrown from the cycle. The likelihood that a 'seat belt' would minimize injuries and fatalities is a fallacy because the rider would simply slide with the bike and suffer other equally hazardous injuries.
The motorcyclist has at his or her disposal three of the most effective safety devices that have been designed to date for choppers - the horn, headlight and helmet. THE first two help to remind vehicle drivers that a motorcycle is present and near them on the roadway - and to give the motorcycle its due right of way.
A helmet helps to minimize devastating injuries and fatalities by up to 50% in some accidents. Finally, there is specific outerwear designed for the motorcyclist to prevent major skin injuries in the case of an accident and this clothing has been determined on more than one occasion to be worth the investment.
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident and want to speak with a Houston motorcycle accident lawyer, call the Baumgartner Law Firm, a Houston personal injury law firm.
