Riding a motorcycle can be fun or even just a practical choice. Motorcycles cost less to purchase, operate and ensure than the average motor vehicle. However, the trade-off for those lower costs and the overall exhilaration of riding is the enhanced risk of serious injury.
If motorcycle rider gets into a motor vehicle incident, they are at significantly elevated risk of severe injury or death when compared with the average vehicle occupant. Certain factors significantly increase the risk of a motorcycle collision.
Speeding infractions
According to a report from the Georgia Department of Driver Services, a significant portion of motorcycle collisions involve people driving too fast. Approximately 18% of the motorcycle riders involved in fatal collisions exceeded the speed limit immediately prior to the incident. Motorcycle crashes may have a far worse outcome in scenarios where the other vehicle traveled at speeds over the posted limit as well.
Driver distraction
Distraction has become a top safety risk on the roads in Georgia. Someone focused more on their phone than their surroundings could very easily cause a crash that has major implications for them and the other people involved. It is difficult to use a mobile phone while riding a motorcycle, so riders are less likely to fall victim to distraction than other motorists. However, they could easily cross paths with someone more focused on a phone than their safety. Distracted driving only increases the well-known issue of drivers failing to notice motorcycles in traffic.
Alcohol consumption
Drunk drivers are a hazard to themselves and others. Anyone trying to operate a motor vehicle while over the legal limit for their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) could potentially cause a crash. Motorcycle riders who encounter chemically impaired drivers could end up hurt when that driver fails to notice them and respond appropriately in traffic. Alcohol can also be quite dangerous for motorcycle riders. Even when they are well below the legal limit for their BAC, the minor impact that lower levels of alcohol could have on their performance could put them at increased risk of a collision.
Wearing the right safety gear, consistently following traffic laws and watching for other risks on the road can potentially reduce the risk of experiencing a life-altering motorcycle collision. Riders who identify and account for safety concerns can protect themselves from a scenario in which a crash caused by someone else puts them in the hospital.