As a motorcyclist in Pennsylvania, you may have heard that the crash statistics for bikers like you are usually higher or more dangerous than for other types of drivers. We here at Newman, Williams, Mishkin, Corveleyn, Wolfe & Fareri, P.C., will lay out exactly why that is.
The first thing you should know is that the body of a vehicle can simultaneously be a danger to a driver, but more often protects them. While they risk being trapped inside if the cage crumples, the cage itself is also incredibly sturdy and meant to bear the force of large impacts. This means that a driver can be rolled around, bashed, or crashed, and they will likely not make contact with the ground.
You, on the other hand? You have no such protection. If a car hits you, they are essentially hitting you, since the amount of steel protecting you is negligible. You are closer to the ground. If knocked off your bike, you will fall and hit pavement. The damage to skin, brain, bones and organs can be enormous, even if you are wearing protective gear. It’s also possible for you to get pinned between wreckage more easily than a driver of a closed vehicle, and your body can be flung farther in a crash scenario, causing more impact damage and potentially even making it difficult for medics to spot you easily.
Overall, following the safety laws will help reduce your chances of getting into these situations. But unfortunately, the nature of a motorcycle itself is dangerous, and this is something you should keep in mind when you hit the road. To read more about injuries a motorcycle accident can cause, please visit our web page.
