There was recently a serious and fatal motorcycle crash near my hometown. I was checking out the local news website and blogs, and I noticed that the readers didn't seem to have any sympathy for motorcycle riders, or the unfortunate young man who lost his life.
Bikers have greater risk of being in serious accidents and sustaining serious injuries than drivers or cars, trucks, or other vehicles. Whether right or wrong, motorcycle rider or car driver, no one deserves to die! It is a tragedy no matter who is to blame.
What many bikers already know is that the attitude I saw on these recent news articles and blogs is reflected in how other motorists treat bikers on the road. Drivers of other types of vehicles are less respectful of motorcycle riders. We've all seen the biker who does "wheelies" or "stoppies" and weaves in and out of traffic, but it doesn't mean that every biker or motorcycle rider on the road are less observant and less respectful of this form of transportation than more conventional automobiles or trucks.
Think about it. In the case of a motorcycle accident, riders only have their safety gear (usually leather) to protect them. Drivers in cars and other vehicles have walls of metal or fiberglass to absorb impact. Motorcycle crashes often result in loss of life or severe head injuries, but they can also include severed limbs, crushed bones, spinal cord injuries, internal bleeding and permanent damage to internal organs. Even if the biker survives, these injuries will affect the rest of their lives.
Joseph L. Messa, founder of Messa & Associates, a Philadelphia personal injury law firm, knows firsthand what happens when you get into a motorcycle accident, which made him take a special interest in motorcycle accident injury cases.
Unfortunately for Pennsylvania motorcyclists, the Pennsylvania motorcycle helmet laws are lax at best, and it doesn't take a brain surgeon to realize this puts riders at a greater risk for head injuries. As Messa writes on his blog, "Using a helmet while riding can protect you from serious and even fatal head injuries."
While the Pennsylvania helmet laws certainly confuse me (think of what happened to Ben Roethlisberger), please take extra care in these warm months. If you see what you think is a irresponsible motorcycle driver, avoid him like you would any other responsible driver! But let's also give courtesy to those we share the road with. Remember when you're at that four way stop sign, that the motorcycle on the right has the same right-of-way as a car or truck would.
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