Unveiling Perils: Causes & Consequences of Motorcycle Accidents
by Arnab Dey Legal Published on: 14 June 2023 Last Updated on: 24 September 2024
Motorcycles were considered one of the greatest inventions in human history, so it has changed the outcomes of human life by improving transportation and communication.
And as the surroundings of humans evolved, motorcycles changed their outlook in tandem. Safe to say, they have become faster and lighter, and that was a meeting of reckless driving and negligence. The domino effect is unnoticed by the creator.
Multiple factors get involved in discussing the reason or outcome of an accident, stressing the mental and physical damage.
Accidents often lead to unanswered trauma, affecting the person moving forward.
It is safe to say no riders want to drive on a road that is wet, broken, or full of potholes, as it increases the rate of road accidents or collisions with other vehicles.
For riders, it is imminent that they should not associate with drinking activities, which can put them into the perils of hospital bills and unanswered bodily injuries.
Precautions can save lives and minimize the chances of getting into a dangerous situation.
As per the reports, 5715 people have lost their lives in motorcycle accidents, where 29% of the participants were drunk.
Self-awareness is key to safety and security.
This segment will focus on different ways to reduce motorcycle accidents. Let’s begin-
Drugs and Alcohol consumption
A driver’s body and mind should sync properly to ensure they drive safely to reach their destination. Minimal irregularities can lead to accidents or collisions that can cause damage to the vehicle and the person itself.
Alcohol and drugs affect our nerves significantly, leading to decreased coordination with the brain and body movements. Our memory and vision get blurred under the influence of these substances.
Intoxication affects the cerebellum and cerebral cortex, leading to a dysfunctioning body. You can realize changes in your social and communication with the existing reality, which comes to the point that prevention is better than cure.
So, when you travel on a motorbike, ensure you don’t drink or take drugs. Stay clear and drive safely.
And majorly, it is seen that young drivers under the age of 25 years are prone to drive under the influence of alcohol and are more likely to get involved in fatal road accidents or shake hands with death.
Speeding
We blame films and TV shows for this. After all, they’re the ones to romanticize speeding and driving motorbikes at 100 mph, which was eventually perceived by young generations.
Even the action sequence influences the modern generation to undertake the following steps showcased in the movie.
Traveling at a certain speed can increase the chance of collision and fatal accidents.
Internal and external agents influence the activities of a rider; certainly, weather, condition of roads, and drivers mentality become the deciding factor of safe driving. Wet roads formed due to heavy downpours, often the quality of the road and the one’s that ride.
Water often loosens the friction between the road and the tire, leading to motorists losing control over the brake and an accident.
In these cases, damages are likely to be recovered, as insurance policies do not cover the wear and tear of the bike. For this, you can consult an Illinois Motorcycle Accident Lawyer. These people are good at extracting insurance.
External factors
As discussed earlier, external factors have equal responsibility in deciding the rider’s fate.
We can break the factors into weather and the quality of the road. Let’s shed some light on them-
1: Weather
Well, seasons decide the weather, whether rainy or winter seasons. Roads are prone to be wet, which sometimes leads to erosion and cracks. And this influences the riding capability of a rider.
Traction issues during fall and spring are common, following the high winds, storms, fog, and mist. Uncertain conditions question the ascendency of the rider and its driving capabilities.
Weather conditions also affect the wildlife. For example, the riding season takes bikers to drive into wild animals, marshaling to an unfortunate accident.
2: Road Quality
Poorly constructed roads have an equal hand in accident cases. The quality of the streets syncs with the riding capability of a rider. Potholes or cracks in the road can urge bikers to lose control of the steer and lead them to a dead end.
Road conditions include-
- Unmarked lane changes
- Presence of hidden driveways
- Vegetation frequently creates visibility issues
- Existence of debris and sand
- Poor lighting; lack of streetlights on the roads
As the roads are being evolved and revolutionized by dissecting into different parts to ensure a smooth passage for drivers to reduce congestion and traffic, they possess a dark side; blind spots, and time and again, riders trust the view of the rearview mirror and approach accordingly.
And this has created head-on collisions with trucks or cars and fatal injuries.
Motorcycle Defect
We can’t blame the weather and road quality for bike accidents; we must also consider the motorbike’s quality and condition to determine the driver’s living chances.
Defects in motorcycles refer to poor-quality brakes or problems in the clutch, which threatens the riding experience of the biker.
Certain motor products have manufacturing defects, which can increase the chances of accidents and breakdowns. They can lead to serious injuries or even deaths.
Accidents can be attributed to the collective effort of different external agents, implying the internal agents, resulting in fatal disasters and loss of life.
Internal Agents
Certain inborn factors affect the rider and their connection with the outer world. Social and cognitive skills are critical for a driver to travel longer.
They include-
1: Impairment
A driver’s emotions and physical abilities often converge with the learning abilities and reactions in certain conditions. It is fundamental for a biker to be in a sane condition before they arrive on the road.
People with visual and hearing impairments should refrain from using motorcycles to ensure they are safe and healthy.
Illness and medication are deterrent factors in deciding the rider’s movement, as they can distract drivers. A certain loss of focus can lead to disaster, and it can question the rider’s existence.
Emotional intelligence is a must while cycling; a person should have a grip over their emotions because when you are tired, stressed, or angry, there are fluctuations in your presence of mind. And this creates moments of accidents.
If you are in trouble or high in emotions, ask for help, or you can choose other modes of communication to reach your preferred destination.
2: No Helmets
Wearing helmets is necessary to save yourself from severe head injuries. Head gears can minimize death rates, which is how road departments create campaigns to encourage people to opt for safety measures to increase the probability of living.
They have the unintended power to save humans from trauma and keep their cerebrum intact and fully functioning.
Wearing helmets is cool; not wearing one brings danger.
Consequences Of Accidents
Newton’s third law of motion suggests every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Following the assertion, accidents damage people’s bones, muscles, and nervous systems.
It creates impairment in people and makes them live with disability for the coming days. Safety is the epitome of safeguarding yourself from the brutal consequences of accidents.
There are several records of multiple deaths and brain hemorrhages following fractures and tears in muscle tissues. Here are some-
- Brain injuries; accidents can impact the way the brain functions. Injuries lead to dizziness and fatigue. Further, creating hearing issues. There are records of people with mental illness, bipolar disorders, and memory loss.
- Fatal injury leads to changes in the cognitive abilities of an individual, which can bar them from connecting with people for the rest of their lives. Emotional trauma affects the way an individual expresses; there are mood swings, an overflow of anger and anxiety, and depression
- Following this, spinal cord injuries can damage the nervous system and paralyze a serious portion of the body. You will often be discontent with the conflict between your thinking and body movement, to tell nerves have said goodbye to you
- Breaking bones is just a common phenomenon during motor accidents. The lower portion of the body is extremely vulnerable to getting damaged, as, after the head, it is the pelvis, tibia, and fibula that face the fire of the close contact between the human and road
- During an accident, bleeding and infection lead to greater blood loss, which takes longer to heal and return to normal life. In extreme conditions, excessive blood loss leads to death
- Loss of money is another consequence of motorcycle accidents. Excessive hospital bills with medicinal bills can lead to a lifelong struggle for a sustainable life. Bear in mind medical bills are expensive in the States.
Let’s Revise Once More
Road accidents, especially while driving a motorcycle, can be reduced by maintaining safety standards. The presence of mind and protective gear can protect a person from facing fatal disasters and injuries.
And, yes! Soon your bike touches the ground; call an attorney to fight with the insurance company and get your deserved money.
Till then, bye-bye
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