There is a number of reasons besides looking cool that motorcyclists gear up themselves in Kevlar and leather while hitting the road. Other than keeping riders comfortable, wearing the right riding gear every time will improve the chances of survival should an accident occur for the motorcyclist. Despite so, in comparison with car drivers, motorcycle riders face much higher fatalities in crashes. According to data from 2015 shows that for every mile traveled that year, the number of motorcycle-related deaths was 29 times the number of car-related deaths. From Government data, total of 5,286 motorcycle fatalities is recorded in 2016.
Cars and motorcycles have are common vehicles on road. They travel on the same roads, and both could be equally robust in speed. However, motorcycles have a few major deviations that make them innately more risky in an accident.
Pros and Advantages
Any motorcycle rider will quip claiming advantages of traveling with motorbikes. As motorcycle is smaller compared to a car, it makes it a smaller target to be hit on the road. Its small size enables riders more spots to go safely. If a car ahead suddenly stops, another car may hit the rear end of it. Pileups may result due to cars in their lanes fail to maneuver to other lanes in a sudden stop. Motorcyclists have a more evasion opportunities than cars because they can swerve to the side or even split lanes. Motorcycles can even pull in the shoulder lane when riding on a highway. Thus in terms of evasion, motorcycles have some advantage to accelerate or swerve out of trouble.
Cons and Disadvantages
Since motorcycles have only two wheels instead of four, the rider’s balance and navigating abilities, which include reflexes, represent a crucial factor. Riders are physically out in the open; drivers are inside the metal frame of a car. The sense of freedom makes motorcycles much more appealing to many, but it inevitably comes with hazard. In terms of size, motorcycles are smaller and will be likely to be hit by other drivers who do not notice the smaller vehicle. With no protection of a car frame, crashes will result in more serious injuries for the motorcyclists.
In addition, automotive manufacturers attempt at developing new technology to make cars safer. Motorcycle manufacturers, on the other hand, have lesser options. Motorcycle features like mirrors with larger and wider fields of view, motorcycle airbags, and brighter headlights can help lower the risk of an accident or the severity of an injury. Overall, motorcycles are not promoted as a safer alternative to other vehicles with structural frames, and they lack the safety technology features available in modern cars. Motorcycle riders may not always have the time to check out a back view camera, even if available.
A motorcycle rider requires alert and skilled driving. However, he or she needs to anticipate dangers; some even unexpected.
