What Are the Most Common Ways Motorcycle Riders Get Hurt?

Many Chicagoans enjoy riding their motorcycles during the warmer months. This is a thrilling way to get around The Windy City. However, if the motorcycle rider isn’t prepared or other drivers fail to notice them, their ride can quickly turn into a dangerous accident.

While motorcyclists aren’t immune to their own errors, most motorcycle accidents occur because of another driver’s actions.

Five common ways that motorcycle riders get hurt

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 5,000 motorcycle riders were killed, and over 180,000 received medical treatment for their injuries in emergency rooms across the United States in 2020. Most of the time, these traumatic accidents are preventable; when they occur, however, severe and life-threatening injuries can result. Here are five common ways that motorcycle riders get hurt in Chicago:

1. The motorcycle falling on top of the rider’s legs or other body parts: In a crash, a motorcycle rider may fall over, causing their motorcycle to land on top of them. Motorcycles can weigh up to 900 pounds and cause serious injury. The legs in particular are at risk of being crushed by the motorcycle during a crash. As a result, the motorcyclist may suffer injuries to their ankles, knees, feet, and calves. While most motorcycle riders will eventually heal after this type of trauma, others may be paralyzed or permanently disabled for the rest of their lives.
2. The motorcycle rider scraping or sliding across the roadway: Another common injury for motorcycle riders is scraping or sliding across the roadway. This typically happens when a motorcyclist must swerve to avoid another vehicle or debris in the road. However, it is not uncommon for motorcycle riders to slide or scrape across the roadway when they fall off or are thrown from their bike during a crash. When this happens, they may suffer extremely painful road burns that may even require skin grafts. These injuries can even expose the soft tissues and bones, potentially causing severe infections, permanent nerve damage, disfiguration, or scarring.
3. The motorcycle rider being ejected from their bike: In a crash, motorcycle riders are at risk of being ejected from their bikes and smashing into the pavement. This can cause numerous injuries. For example, they may put their arms out as a reflex to stop their fall and end up with broken arms, fingers, elbows, or wrists. They may suffer broken facial bones, traumatic brain injury, internal bleeding, organ damage, broken ribs, spinal cord injury, permanent nerve damage, or more.
4. The motorcycle rider striking another vehicle or object: A motorcyclist involved in a crash with another vehicle might strike their head or other body parts on an object, such as another vehicle, roadway, or a tree. They may suffer blunt force trauma, causing severe bruising, internal bleeding, tissue damage, or traumatic brain injury.
5. Other vehicles rear-ending the motorcycle: Other drivers may become distracted behind the wheel or fail to give a motorcycle rider enough room, causing a collision with the rear of the motorcycle. This can cause the motorcycle rider’s head and neck to jerk back and forth (whiplash) or their body to be slammed into the handlebars. The rider may suffer broken ribs, or internal bleeding. It is also not uncommon for a motorcycle rider to fall off the back of their bike, resulting in a fractured skull, traumatic brain injury, or spinal cord injury.

Your position on the motorcycle could potentially affect how you are injured

How – and where – you sit on a bike can affect the type of injury you sustain. For example, operators may suffer strains if their handlebars are too low. In the event of a collision, any already-damaged tendon could snap entirely, necessitating surgical intervention. Or, think about passengers: they may be less likely to fracture their hips on the handlebars (for obvious reasons), but may be more likely to sustain spinal damage if rear-ended by another vehicle. (Note that the motorcycle operator may be protected by his or her passenger in the event of a rear-end collision.)

Were you involved in a motorcycle accident in Chicago? If so, the motorcycle accident lawyers at Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers are here to help. Our team is dedicated to protecting the rights of Chicago motorcyclists and willing to fight to secure the compensation you need to rebuild your life. Please call our office or complete our contact form to schedule a free consultation today.