With Daytona Bike Week for 2019 arriving this March, motorcycles will be in the news. Riders from all over the United States descend on Daytona Beach for the week-long celebration. Unfortunately, some of the news may not be good. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that Florida has more motorcycle injuries and fatalities than any other state in America.
The portrayal of motorcycle accidents in the film industry usually involves spectacular trauma. High-speed motorcycle collisions in Florida can cause real-life catastrophic injuries and fatalities. Some Florida motorcycle accidents can be even more dramatic than those imagined for film.
Myth #1: Pain from an accident indicates the degree of injury
The problem with violent motorcycle accidents is they foster myths about another type of motorbike danger. Serious injury can occur without a high-speed chase ending in a loud impact. Riders who experience comparatively mild events brush them off as part of the sport. Bikers know that motorcycle riding is inherently dangerous. The majority of motorcyclists ride smart and take appropriate safety precautions; however, like most people, they believe slow speed and no pain means no harm.
Suppose a biker stops at an intersection and waits for the red light to change. A driver pulls up behind him, misjudges the distance and taps the rear of his bike. He falls off the bike, and his helmet glances off the curb. He removes the helmet, but everything is normal. The rider cannot feel any injury or pain, so he jumps back on his bike and puts the helmet on just in time to make the green light. As traffic begins to move forward, he smiles over his shoulder and waves to let the woman know he is OK.
Myth #2: Medical issues are not a factor in minor accidents
Later that night, the motorcyclist’s wife drives him to the emergency room. Flu has been going around his office, and he feels a bit nauseated. His slight headache is now a thundering migraine. Hospital imaging shows he has a small bleed in his brain from hitting his head; its slow spread begins to cause symptoms.
The doctor informs the shocked rider that he sustained a traumatic brain injury from the fall. He could have suffered permanent disability or even death had he not received treatment right away. No matter whether an accident seems insignificant, the saying “time is brain” is true. The longer a person waits for a medical diagnosis after a “minor” bump to the head, the greater the damage from a potential brain injury.
Myth #3: There is no reason to exchange information for a small collision
The man’s brain required surgery, recovery time in the hospital, and then neurology visits, plus rehabilitation for peripheral nerve damage to his shoulder—another surprise revealed by the emergency room exam. Meanwhile, the man has no idea who the woman is and now he has no way to recover the high cost of his present and future medical treatments.
Any time two vehicles make contact, it is important to get the other person’s information, see a doctor and contact a professional in accidents and injuries for guidance in how to proceed. It never hurts to take action. The alternative may be life-long regret.