On one hand, motorcycles are so dangerous because of the differences between bikes and cars. A motorcycle does not have air bags, a steel frame, four wheels to assist with stability and braking or many other safety features. You’re just far more exposed on a bike. In a car accident, the car itself absorbs much of the damage. In a motorcycle accident, while the bike may get destroyed, a lot of that raw energy directly impacts the rider.
However, another way to look at it is this: Motorcycles are actually so dangerous because of the things they share with cars. These include:
- Speed
- Roads
- Power
A lot of the danger comes from the fact that you can go just as fast as a car — if not faster — on a motorcycle. You have an engine that is incredibly powerful, just like a car, despite having to move far less weight. All of the safety features in cars are designed to even out the risks from traveling at high speeds. Motorcycles have the same ability with far fewer safety features.
Of course, sharing the roads is a huge issue — perhaps the biggest one that many riders face. A lot of motorcycle accidents happen because other drivers make mistakes and cut them off, stop in front of them, hit them from behind or merge into them. A rider can be safe, educated, experienced and skillful, and he or she can still suffer serious injuries in a split-second because a driver made an error. Every motorcycle rider puts their life in the hands of everyone else on the road.
If you get into a serious wreck, make sure you know what legal steps you can take.
