Most motorcycle riders are well aware of the fact that they’re taking a risk just by riding a motorcycle in public. They know that the situation is very bleak for motorcycle riders. In fact, the reality of their circumstances might be even worse than they think.
The chances of a motorcycle rider experiencing a fatal crash are 26 times higher than the chances of a person in a passenger car being involved in a similar accident. Motorcycle riders also have an injury rate that is five times higher.
However, what’s truly shocking about this situation is that it’s actually gotten worse over time. Since the year 1999, fatal accidents for people in light trucks and cars has gone down dramatically. During that same time period, fatal accidents for motorcycle riders have doubled.
These trends are being influenced by a number of different factors. For one thing, light trucks and cars are now designed with more safety features. Even when they do get involved with accidents, those accidents are significantly less likely to be fatal than they would have been in the past.
It is true that modern motorcycles have more safety features than the motorcycles of the past, including the recent past. However, there is a clear upper limit on how safe motorcycles can be given the nature of the vehicle.
Motorcycles leave their riders completely exposed on the road. While cars and trucks have a lot of safety features these days, the fact that these vehicles have a sturdy outer frame already puts them ahead of motorcycles. Wearing a helmet and a leather jacket might be commonplace for motorcycle riders, but these minor safety precautions will never be sufficient.
Many motorcycle riders accept these risks and they learn to live with them. However, they should never deny the inherent dangers of how they choose to get around on the road.
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