Safety
Safety is extremely important to us at Wild@Heart. As riders we need to be considerate, responsible and always careful.
Safety gear is not only for the fall. If your motorcycle gear is comfortable and suited for the type of riding, weather and motorcycle you have, you will have a safer ride and can concentrate on the road and enjoyment of your trip.
Numerous studies have been done on road safety in the past. Most of the motorcycle safety studies have been done a few years ago in the USA and United Kingdom, but the results are quite universal.
Some of the findings are:
Hurt, Ouellet & Thom in California undertook a large scale comprehensive study of motorcycle crashes. They collected detailed injury data for 900 motorcycle crashes using on-scene, in-depth investigations by specialist teams. They documented the type of clothing worn and classified it as either protective or non-protective. 61% of all those that sustained upper body injuries, were unprotected. 74% of all those sustained wrist and hand injuries were unprotected.
In a study in Munich, Schuller et al. (1986) interviewed 264 injured motorcyclists immediately after their crash and then some two years later. He subsequently found a reduction in hospitalisation by an average of 7 days for those who had worn leather protective clothing compared to those who had not. The protected motorcyclists were also able to return to work or school on average 20 days sooner and were 40% less likely to suffer a permanent physical defect than their unprotected counterparts. He concluded that motorcycle clothing is significantly effective in preventing or reducing at least 43% of injuries to the skin and soft tissue with a 63% reduction in deep and extensive injuries.
In addition to cuts and abrasions, protective clothing can prevent or reduce many serious injuries including exhaust pipe burns, friction burns and the stripping away of skin and muscle.
A major benefit of protective clothing appears to be in reducing the risk of infection from wound contamination and consequent complications in the healing of severe injuries.
Impact protectors reduce the incidence of complex fractures in favour of simple closed fractures which are easier to treat.
And the moral of the story is ....
Motorcyclists are very vulnerable in accident situations and often get seriously injured. The right protective motorcycle gear can help to minimize or prevent some of the injuries. It is just as important for the pillion or occasional rider to have good quality protective clothing.
Buy the best you can afford and wear it all the time - even for those short trips to the shop around the corner!
Have a safe ride.