The main risks of motorcycle accidents

Posted on by admin

November 26, 2018

According to the latest figures from Road Safety, the number of road accidents among bikers increased in 2017, with 669 deaths. While they only represent 2% of road traffic, motorized two-wheeler users constitute 43% of those seriously injured and 22% of those killed.. Excessive speed – the leading cause of death on the roads of France, then alcohol levels and inattention are particularly responsible for these tragedies.

The main risks of motorcycle accidents

Accidents due to lack of equipment

On a motorcycle, a fall is not forgiving. Unlike the motorcyclist, a motorist is protected by the seat belt, the airbags and the body. Motorcycle protection is essential.

Riding with the compulsory equipment on a motorcycle will significantly reduce the risk of traffic accidents. Wearing an approved motorcycle helmet is first compulsory by law, but guarantees optimal protection of the head provided it is properly attached! After each violent accident, it must be replaced.

Head injuries are the leading cause of severe disability and death among motorcyclists.

But the whole body is exposed to lesions. Motorcycle gloves must also be approved. Every user of two-wheelers is invited to invest in motorcycle protection to maximize the protection of the most vulnerable parts of the body whose damage can be irreversible: the neck and the spine..

A leather or kevlar-type jacket absorbs the burns when sliding on the asphalt, but the back protector or the airbag vest can save lives in a severe collision or head-on collision. Sensitive joints such as the ankles are fragile: choose high-rise shoes that offer protection to the ankles..

Lack of experience and anticipation

The population most affected by motorcycle accidents remains the 25-34 year olds. Young drivers with an A2 license, if they follow the rules of the Highway Code, do not necessarily have all the reflexes yet. Not everything can be learned at driving school: here are the rules to follow for young motorcycle licenses.

With experience, the pilot learns to analyze your environment : detect a manhole cover or a potentially dangerous slippery white stripe, anticipate the attitude of other road users such as a parked motorist opening his door without looking, etc..

This last point is crucial, because sharing the road is not innate in everyone..

On a motorcycle, keep in mind that you are potentially in the blind spot of a car, especially when you are driving in the middle of trucks, heavy goods vehicles and cars in traffic jams.

The primary risk is overestimate. Be careful, don’t try to imitate experienced riders: keep a moderate pace, watch your priorities, look around and make sure that the drivers have seen you, especially at an intersection, intersection or roundabout. Finally, listen to your elders who have a few years of driving behind them.

Accidents involving speed

Speeding is a scourge of the road: whether the motorcyclist is the culprit or the victim of a reckless driver, speed kills, in urban areas as well as outside. But it’s not just a matter of kilometers per hour: improper speed leads to dangerous behavior.

In traffic jams, on a ring road at the entrance to a large city, for example, inter-file traffic has become a common practice, although officially illegal. However, an experiment has been set up to legalize this mode of driving in the future: be careful to maintain a smooth pace and keep your distance.

On a departmental road for example, excessive speed can go hand in hand with a dblind overtaking in a bend or a crossing of the solid line; so many dangerous behaviors.

Driving fast also increases the risk of crashing barriers. Located on the central reservation of a four-lane, on a bridge, an interchange or on the edge of a ravine, the safety barrier, initially designed to avoid leaving the road or against collision with vehicles, s ‘proves a danger to the biker: the spaced poles that support the structure are nicknamed the biker guillotine.

At high speed, the rider will not have time to react to a puddle of oil or gravel that can cause loss of control: the rider can be hit hard by this barrier.

Driving under alcohol and drugs

Drinking while driving or on the handlebars is the second leading factor in fatal accidents. The consumption of alcohol but also drugs has multiple impacts on the body: a narrowed visual field, sensitivity to light, an altered notion of distance, slow-motion reflexes, drowsiness, etc..

When consuming alcohol, remember to use a breathalyzer to see if you are fit to drive. If the blood alcohol test is positive, do not take the road. Note that in the first year of probation, drinking and driving is a offense which may lead to driving licence withdrawal.

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