The idea of motorcycles sends thoughts of concerns and dread to almost every motorcycle rider's family... always preaching to "be careful out there" and "wear your helmet!" Riding is a great hobby, mode of transportation and sport but when it comes to the facts, what are the motorcycle accident statistics and how do they affect you and your driving? You might be surprised to see that by knowing the truth about motorbike accidents the more aware and safer you are when on the road.
You Think You Know Motorcycle Accident Statistics?
With gas prices continuing to see-saw up and down it is really no surprise that more and more motorbikes are popping up on the road (scooters, mopeds, motorcycles, etc), they are gas efficient, cost efficient and most people look and feel cool on their bike.
To put it with numbers, there has been over a 30% increase in motorcycle sales since 2001... all those sales equals more motorcycle related accidents. What's even more alarming is in fact the accidents, with the increase in sales the increase in motorcycle related deaths has jumped up by 50%! That's huge... that's over 4700 deaths in the US.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Admin, motorcyclists are roughly 35 times more likely to be killed in accidents than automobile drivers... especially during the first year of owning a bike because of experience.
The main causes of motorcycle accidents? Road conditions such as pot holes, puddles and debris... but also actual driving errors such as driving too close to others, swerving in and out of traffic and lack of protection.
So when it comes to motorcycle accidents what is the best way to protect yourself? Might be common sense but motorbike helmets are the way to go... recent studies show that wearing a helmet can cut the risk of brain related injuries down by 88% in a motorcycle accident and more deaths are due to head trauma. Another report revealed that wearing a helmet cut likelihood of all serious head injuries by 16% (beyond brain trauma such as fractures).
With this obvious knowledge it is surprising that less than 50% of motorbike riders actually wear their helmets (if they even own one).
So it remains, that if motorcycle riding is the choice of transportation for your life, follow the advice of friends and family... be careful and wear motorbike helmets!
Kindal Guthrie is the owner of the store Shop Motorbike Helmets and an avid rider and bike enthusiast. Her store offers a huge selection of the best motorbike helmets at low prices.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kindal_D_Guthrie
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