When motorcycles crash, the injuries to riders are often catastrophic. Motorcyclists have no frame protecting them in collisions, which often are with much larger vehicles. Thus, when an accident does happen, riders typically suffer the worst injuries.
Head injuries
Riders can experience severe head trauma in a collision, even if wearing a helmet. These injuries can include:
- Contusions
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Concussions
- Skull fractures
If someone suffers a brain injury in a motorcycle crash, they could experience:
- Memory loss
- Seizures
- Personality changes
- Frequent headaches
- Vertigo
Sometimes, these symptoms and conditions can change a person’s lifestyle, relationships and future.
Leg and foot injuries
Studies suggest that the most common severe injuries riders suffer in a crash are those to a person’s legs and feet, which may be surprising.
According to research from The Center for Disease Control, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, World Health Organization and Association For The Advancement Of Automotive Medicine, foot and leg injuries were the most severe injuries in 30 percent of cases involving non-fatal motorcycle accidents.
Broken bones
Falling, getting thrown from a bike or being crushed by a car can cause several bones to break. In many cases, fractures can heal with proper attention and medical care. However, there can be long-term issues with nerve damage, joint pain and decreased strength.
Statistically, the bones most commonly broken in a motorcycle crash are:
- Tibia
- Fibula
- Femur
- Wrist bones
- Humerus
Lower extremity bones are more likely to break than upper extremity bones.
Road rash
Scraping skin against the concrete in an accident can be incredibly painful. These skin injuries range in severity, depending on how deep the damage goes.
If road rash is relatively minor, at-home treatments can be effective. However, worse injuries can require surgery or even skin grafts. Even when road rashes heal, they can leave scarring, which could be disfiguring.
Thoracic trauma
Blunt chest trauma is not uncommon in car and motorcycle crashes. Injured parties who get hurt in the chest can experience lung damage, pain and bleeding.
Each of these injury types have the potential to be catastrophic to the riders who suffer them.