Spin off: Motorcycles more dangerous than other vehicles?

[Needleroozer]

Okay, I hope I won't regret asking this, but is a motorcycle truly any more dangerous than a car? There were a lot of opinions offered in the kids on the back of a bike thread, but can we talk about facts and evidence now? People who work in the medical profession sited folks coming in to the ER as evidence- out of curiousity, do you see more motorcycle injuries than ones from other vehicle accidents?

 

My Dude knows of a family who lost not one, but 3 boys to tractor accidents. His uncle was a semi driver who was smashed into by another semi.

I have personally lost 2 grandparents and a nephew to car accidents. I have personally been in 2 car accidents.

 

I have only ever witnessed one motorcycle accident and that person had no helmet, and shorts on, and was not operating the bike safely.

Are they really more dangerous, or just the same dangerous as a vehicle? If so, why?

 

And I realize this may get folks worked up, but I think we are all mature enough to have a civil discussion based on fact and not too much on opinions. Thanks.

[battlemaiden]

we called them "Donor-cycles".

 

Any vehicle can get in an accident. But with no protection, the results of the accident are most definitely different. I'm making no proclamation on whether people should ride them, or let their children. I'm simply stating that from a medical perspective they are more dangerous.

 

Jo

 

Then again, my son's one emergency surgery was from a fall out of a tree :glare:. So there you have it.

[abbeyej]

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (in 2002):

Motorcycles are the most dangerous type of motor vehicle to drive. These vehicles are involved in fatal crashes at a rate of 35.0 per 100 million miles of travel, compared with a rate of 1.7 per 100 million miles of travel for passenger cars.

[Kay in Cal]

Yes, they are more dangerous. Of course you know more people injured in car accidents, because more people drive cars for far more miles. Even motorcycle riders often ride recreationally, rather than for regular transportation. The chance per vehicle mile of being injured or killed is significantly greater. Only you can decide if it is a worthwhile risk for you and yours to take.

 

This is from the Insurance Information Institute.

http://www.iii.org/media/hottopics/insurance/motorcycle/

 

KEY FACTS

 

• According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2006, 4,810 people died in motorcycle crashes, up 5.1 percent from 4,576 in 2005 to the highest level since 1981.
  
• Motorcycle crash fatalities have increased every year for the past nine years.
  
• There were 6.2 million motorcycles on U.S. roads in 2005, according to the latest data available from the Federal Highway Administration, compared with 137.4 million passenger cars. Motorcycles accounted nearly 3 percent of all registered motor vehicles and 0.4 percent of vehicle miles traveled in 2006, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  
• Some 104,000 motorcycles were involved in crashes in 2006, including property damage-only crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
  
• Motorcyclists were 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash in 2006, per vehicle mile traveled, and 8 times more likely to be injured,according to NHTSA.
  
• The fatality rate for motorcyclists in 2006 was 5.5 times the fatality rate for passenger car occupants per registered vehicle, according to the latest data from NHTSA.

 

[Needleroozer]

we called them "Donor-cycles".

 

Any vehicle can get in an accident. But with no protection, the results of the accident are most definitely different. I'm making no proclamation on whether people should ride them, or let their children. I'm simply stating that from a medical perspective they are more dangerous.

 

Jo

 

Then again, my son's one emergency surgery was from a fall out of a tree :glare:. So there you have it.

 

Hopefully not a stoopid Q, but by "with no protection" are you referring to the shell of the car? That does offer some protection, but you can also be thrown from a vehicle, or trapped inside of one.

 

And yeah, my brother sliced into his leg (resulting in 4 layers of stitches) from his ankle to his waist with a chain saw, so I hear you on that one.

[Sunny]

Well, there is the statistic. :)

We just saw a news clip on our local station that gave some stat like that, and mentioned that there is a higher death rate for each accident involving a motorcycle. Reason: because there is no metal surrounding them. No protection. Even with a helmet, you don't stand much of a chance against a car or truck hitting a motorcycle.

 

I rode a motorcycle during college. It was simply easier on gas, and I got the best parking stalls and didn't have to walk a long way. However, I know as a motorcycle, I was the only one watching out for me. I would have cars change lanes and push me across lanes to avoid accidents. They "simply" didn't see me. The news said the same thing, and I am inclined to believe it. Cars do not watch for motorcycles like they do for cars. Therefore, they are "more" dangerous. They don't attribute the the same number of deaths a year, so not "more" in that way, but that is only because of the smaller numbers of motorcycle riders.

[Jill- OK]

...bikers will tell you that your limited visibility (to car drivers) on a motorcycle is a HUGE problem. I'm not for sure, but I think that was the cause of my husband's one significant accident.

 

In other words, it's not my kids, a motorcycle as a vehicle, or a trusted biker that would scare me...it's all the other folks in cars.

 

(My husband had a motorcycle until we had kids, and can attest to this, and my mom, stepfather, stepmom, and brother all ride motorcycles.)

[Needleroozer]

Abbey and Kaye,

Thanks for the statistics- that is what I was wanting to see.

 

I have to say, I have always been afraid of driving a car- didn't get my license till I was 23. And every day that I drive I avoid at least one accident. There are just so many more vehicles on the road these days, making accidents more likely. Now I guess I can just worry about motorcycles as well, hmm?

[Needleroozer]

 

In other words, it's not my kids, a motorcycle as a vehicle, or a trusted biker that would scare me...it's all the other folks in cars.

 

 

 

Yes, this is what scares me too, with cars as well as motorcycles.

[Jill- OK]

They "simply" didn't see me. The news said the same thing, and I am inclined to believe it. Cars do not watch for motorcycles like they do for cars. Therefore, they are "more" dangerous. They don't attribute the the same number of deaths a year, so not "more" in that way, but that is only because of the smaller numbers of motorcycle riders.

 

Exactly.

 

And the lack of metal, airbags, etc. means it generally turns out worse for a motorcyclist. :-(

[Dawn E]

Motorcycles are often very difficult to see by even those with no vision difficulties. Dh pulled out in front of one a few years ago. Neither of us saw him coming. When we spun around from the force of his hit and saw his motorcycle lying there, we were so afraid he'd be dead, wherever he was. Fortunately he suffered only a broken wrist and some lacerations. However, the highway patrolman told him of 8 similar traffic accidents he had been to, he was the only survivor(motorcyclist survivor). The guy told us he knew that we didn't see him because of how slowly we pulled out. I still shudder to think of this, and thank God that it turned out as it did. And this was no speeding teenager--the guy was in his late forties or early fifties and claimed to be going less than 50.

 

With a car you may be thrown out if you are not wearing a safety belt, but with a motorcycle you most likely will be thrown. That being said, you really have to count the cost whatever you choose to do. Dh grew up in a logging family and has many scars from chain saw cuts. The best healed spot was sewn in the back of a truck by a fellow logger. :001_smile: I am very glad he is no longer logging. Talk about dangerous.

[lynn]

Okay, I hope I won't regret asking this, but is a motorcycle truly any more dangerous than a car? There were a lot of opinions offered in the kids on the back of a bike thread, but can we talk about facts and evidence now? People who work in the medical profession sited folks coming in to the ER as evidence- out of curiousity, do you see more motorcycle injuries than ones from other vehicle accidents?

 

My Dude knows of a family who lost not one, but 3 boys to tractor accidents. His uncle was a semi driver who was smashed into by another semi.

I have personally lost 2 grandparents and a nephew to car accidents. I have personally been in 2 car accidents.

 

I have only ever witnessed one motorcycle accident and that person had no helmet, and shorts on, and was not operating the bike safely.

Are they really more dangerous, or just the same dangerous as a vehicle? If so, why?

 

And I realize this may get folks worked up, but I think we are all mature enough to have a civil discussion based on fact and not too much on opinions. Thanks.

 

Thank you for posting this. I seem to get slammed by some when I try to state my opinion as such.

 

My experience: My dh has been riding mc for over 30 years with NO "0" zip, zilch incidents. A girl on her cell phone rammed his truck from behind a few months ago and he hurt his back. Yeah yeah, my mother's a nurse in S. FL. where there is no helmet law and she gets car accident coming in injured severly as well as water craft victims and mc victims who by the way at times were NOT WEARING HELMETS or any leathers. DS broke his foot jumping off his bed, never got hurt on his MC. Another DS wiped out on his bike got scratched up. Went trail riding with all proper leathers, guards, HELMET went down on a turn not a scratch. Safety equipment always a must for any sport. It's all in what you want to see and hear. am I worried about ds and their mc yes but I am also worried about them on their skateboards, scooters, bikes, etc. I also think if you grew up around mc's you will probably be less intimidated by them.

[battlemaiden]

Oh yes. Lack of metal case is what I was referring to.

 

I was a witness to a motorcycle accident in college. I still have flashbacks. A car simply changed lanes without seeing the motorcyclist. The motorcyclist hit the car's bumper and flew threw the air like a rag doll. It was unnatural and gruesome. I was the first on the scene and my friend went to call 911. I had to hold pressure over an open wound and keep him as alert as possible until the ambulance arrived. If this young man had been in a car it would have dented the bumper at most, I'm sure of it.

 

I later met the young man. He had fractured his leg so severely he was full of pins and rods. He had made a relatively good recovery and had begun going to high schools to talk about motor cycle "safety" or lack there of. He said he would never ride one again. There is simply no way to prevent accidents, and the results are by far much worse.

 

Jo

[beansprouts]

Of course there are dangers with motorcycles that don't exist with other vehicles. I don't think they are any more likely to be involved in accidents, but I do agree that the risk of serious injury or death is increased.

 

We all weigh the risks and benefits of our choices. Personally, I think life would be extremely dull if I avoided every activity that wasn't completely "safe". ;)

[lynn]

Of course there are dangers with motorcycles that don't exist with other vehicles. I don't think they are any more likely to be involved in accidents, but I do agree that the risk of serious injury or death is increased.

 

We all weigh the risks and benefits of our choices. Personally, I think life would be extremely dull if I avoided every activity that wasn't completely "safe". ;)

 

:iagree:

[Pamela H in Texas]

The reason they are more dangerous is that people without CLOSE loved ones that drive them just don't see them. Add that they also are unprotected by the vehicle (belts, airbags, a cage) should something happen....

 

My parents ride. I'm not against bikes at all. I just wish they were safer.

 

Pamela

[lynn]

The reason they are more dangerous is that people without CLOSE loved ones that drive them just don't see them. Add that they also are unprotected by the vehicle (belts, airbags, a cage) should something happen....

 

My parents ride. I'm not against bikes at all. I just wish they were safer.

 

Pamela

 

Good point.