Brain Trauma from Motorcycle Accidents Is a Global Issue

Motorcycle ridership is up all around the world. Reasons for increased ridership include heavy traffic on overcrowded roads as well as roadways that are difficult to navigate in conventional, four-wheel vehicles. With today’s soaring gas prices, motorcycles’ low fuel consumption is another attractive selling point.

Besides – motorcycles are fun to ride. They’re fast, light, and easy to maneuver, and you look cool when you’re on one.

An estimated 600 million motorcycles travel the world’s roads today. Among Asian countries, Thailand has the most motorcycles on the road. In the “land of 100 million scooters,” 87 percent of all the country’s households own a motorcycle. Unfortunately, high ridership goes hand-in-hand with a high accident rate. Thailand is also the global leader in accidents: 74 percent of its vehicular accidents involve motorcycles.

Moving to the West, motorcycles make up only 3 percent of registered vehicles in the United States. Yet, 82,528 motorcyclists were injured in traffic crashes in 2020. Overall, motorcycle fatalities actually increased 11 percent from 2019. The numbers tell the same story in Nevada, where motorcycle-crash deaths increased by 32 percent from 2020 to 2021.

Why motorcycle crashes so often lead to death or injury

More than 80 percent of all motorcycle accidents end in injury or death. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) says head injuries are the most common motorcycle-related injury worldwide. Wearing a well-fitted helmet decreases a rider’s risk of brain injury by 74 percent, and the WHO strongly encourages riders to do so.

The hard truth is that riders don’t always wear their helmets, even though Nevada law requires them. Helmets can be uncomfortable to wear for long periods, and the baking sun can leave riders hot and sweaty. Even if a rider does wear the proper gear, it doesn’t always prevent an injury. A rider may still suffer from a concussion even with a helmet, though the alternative – a life-altering or even life-ending brain injury – would be far more likely if the rider didn’t have a helmet at all

The simplest reason for these injuries is that the bike itself doesn’t offer any protection to the rider. A motorcyclist doesn’t have the physical barrier that a car provides. The car’s hard body, the roof, its seatbelts, and even its windows often prevent a driver from being separated from the vehicle. On a motorcycle, nothing stops the driver from being thrown from the vehicle once they lose their grip on the handlebars. When a driver or passenger is ejected from a motorcycle, they may hit (or be hit by) another vehicle, the road itself, objects in their trajectory, or all of the above.

So even if a rider can somehow avoid brain trauma, there are risks of other serious injuries from motorcycle accidents, such as:

• Shoulder injuries and torn rotator cuffs
• Spinal cord injuries
• “Road rash”
• Leg injuries
• Broken and fractured bones (most commonly of the hands, feet, limbs, and back)
• Traumatic amputation of a limb
• Infection and/or tissue death at the wound site

The long-term complications of brain trauma

Riders can suffer from skull fractures and brain injury in a motorcycle wreck. In the event of a skull fracture, the brain may swell, compressing the brain tissue and causing brain damage, which may or may not be permanent.

After an accident, riders may suffer from traumatic brain injury. TBI can be mild or severe. A person may experience memory loss, impaired vision, and disorientation. They may even lose consciousness. In the most severe cases, the person may fall into a coma and might even die. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, there were more than 69,000 deaths related to TBI in 2019, with deaths from head injuries making up more than one-third of all traumatic deaths. Even if an individual survives a traumatic brain injury, nine years is automatically deducted from their overall life expectancy, according to the CDC.

The long-term mental effects of brain trauma can be severe. TBI can negatively affect a person’s thinking and learning abilities, motor skills, hearing, vision, moods, and behaviors. A previously independent person may now rely on others to care for them, feed them, and help them with day-to-day activities like cleaning, cooking, and grocery shopping. The injured party may develop behavioral health issues such as anxiety and substance abuse, and they may also experience major personality changes. Suicidal thoughts, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder are also common in TBI survivors. Individuals with a history of TBI may also be more likely to present with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Any or all of the above can put a severe burden on relationships with friends, loved ones, and caretakers.

The ongoing financial consequences of TBI are also significant. For individuals who have suffered a brain injury, cognitive and behavioral problems can make it difficult for them to manage their money or pay bills on time. To make matters worse, an estimated 55 percent of individuals with TBI are no longer employed after their accident. They may turn to grants from private health organizations or benefits from government programs like the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA). The SSA pays disability benefits to qualified individuals who have a traumatic brain injury.

Protective gear can help prevent the worst injuries

In minor accidents, a motorcyclist’s gear does its job and takes the brunt of the impact. The leather bikers wear is more than just a fashion statement. In the event of bad weather, waterproof leatherware protects the motorcyclist from the full brunt of the elements. Leather pants, vests, and jackets help to prevent road rash in the event of an accident or ejection from the bike. If the rider or passenger skids across the roadway or other surface, the leather is the first line of defense and may quite literally save their skin.

A good helmet can do the same for the head. Certified helmets protect the head against bangs and bumps. The impact of an accident is diffused across the entirety of the helmet, which in turn reduces the force of the impact on our skull.

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, you can seek compensation for your losses, including your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. The Las Vegas motorcycle accident attorneys at Claggett & Sykes Law Firm will assess your case and get you the compensation and damages you are owed. For a free consultation, call us or complete our contact form today. We maintain an additional office in Reno for your convenience.