Whilst motorbikes provide one of the most cost effective and exciting means of transport on our roads today, they are not without draw backs.

Their compact size mean they are less noticeable and their lack of protection is evident to all, especially to those who have been involved in an accident and sustained motorbike injuries. Wearing bright and protective clothing can help to modify these motorbike injury factors in order to make riding as safe as possible. 

However, it is fact that accidents do and will unfortunately continue to occur. Motorbikes make up around 1% of UK traffic but motorbike injuries consist of 9% of all road casualties. They comprise 19% of those killed or seriously injured on the UKs roads and over 7% of those slightly injured, making bikers the most vunerable UK road user. Sadly as biking becomes more popular, this motorcycle injury percentage is slowly increasing. The most common motorcycle accident is when the driver of another vehicle fails to look properly.

In 47% of motorbike accidents with a car, the driver of the car was at fault for not looking properly. This statistic increases to over 68% at junctions. Motorcyclists themselves as a group of road users are least likely not to look properly, being at fault for this in only 16% of accidents.  

Insurance injury claims on the part of bikers count for less that 1% of claims and their claim freqency is almost two thirds less that that of car drivers. However, when loss of earnings, motorbike injuries and medical costs are factored in, the personal cost of an accident may be much more than just the bike and clothing that needs replacing.  

Common motorbike injuries include whiplash, ‘road rash’ and upper and lower limb fractures. These motorbike injuries are seldom minor and often require hospital treatment and operations.  Most commonly, hospitals operate on bikers who have sustained lower limb, upper limb and neck injuries.   

Dr Rob Patterson   M.B. Ch.B.  D.R.C.O.G.