Not only does your motorcycle offer transportation, but it also provides you with an effective way to clear your head. When you are on the open road, though, you must worry about a crash. After all, motorcycle accidents are likely more common than you realize.
Because your bike does not have a steel cage to protect you, you could suffer a serious injury on your motorcycle. That is, you must worry about injuries that usually do not affect other motorists. Here are three injuries motorcycle riders commonly sustain during a slide, collision or crash.
1. Road rash
Highways, side streets and gravel roads have rough surfaces. If you fall off your motorcycle, unprotected parts of your skin may rub against abrasive parts of roadways, causing your skin to separate from your body. This is road rash. As you may suspect, the condition is often exceedingly painful. While road rash usually is not life-threatening, it can be slow to heal. It may also develop into a serious infection.
2. Traumatic brain injuries
If you bump your head during a motorcycle accident, you could sustain a traumatic brain injury. This type of injury typically occurs when your brain smashes into your skull. Unfortunately, motorcycle helmets do not always prevent traumatic brain injuries. Further, injury symptoms may not show up immediately. After a motorcycle accident, therefore, you should seek emergency medical treatment to be sure your brain is still healthy.
3. Biker’s arm
Humans have reflexes that cause parts of their bodies to move instinctively. During a motorcycle crash, you may reflexively extend your arms outward to protect your head, neck and torso from injury. Doing so, though, may put your hands, wrists and arms in danger. If you hit the ground with your arm, you may cause sustain nerve damage. Medical professionals often refer to this type of injury as biker’s arm, because it mostly happens during motorcycle accidents.
With a bit of defensive riding, you can likely decrease your chances of a motorcycle accident. You may not, however, be able to avoid a crash forever. By understanding the injuries riders commonly sustain during motorcycle collision, you can better plan for staying safe on your bike.