How many times have you watched and heard of news on motorcycle accidents? So many. And they are always fatal ones with no chances for survival for the motorcyclists.
But riding a motorcycle is fun and an experience you live to repeat until you survive a terrible ordeal by a whisker.
According to a survey done by NHTSA, motorcycles are, by their nature, more prone to crash than cars and other locomotives.
Based on these statistics, the best answer to the question: are motorcycles more dangerous than cars? Can mainly be ‘Yes.’ And here’s why.
1. Motorcycles Rarely Survive the Presence of Gravel on the Road
Are motorcycles dangerous?
As a motorbike lover, you have watched in admiration as the professional sports riders navigate corners artistically without falling or scratching. But you must have also noticed how smooth their paths were to allow such delicate tilts.
The presence of gravel on your path could be dangerous. And more dangerous if the gravel is on a corner, where you tilt a little while negotiating the corner.
Gravels will kill your tires’ grip on the road causing it to move unpredictably and cause a wreck. Depending on the status of the road, you may never accurately predict the outcome of the fall. It may be fatal or just a slight motorcycle injury case.
While motorcycles struggle with gravel presence on the road, cars seem even more stable on gravel. There is nothing much to worry about if you’re in a car, and you come across gravel spread on the road.
Remember, people and groups are willing to hold your hand in the event of a motorcycle accident. Seek motorcycle injury legal help to get compensation and justice when wronged.
2. High Speeds Through Corners Are Fatal
The main reason you would prefer a motorcycle to a car is because of their stealth and speed. They can move fast and do so in narrow spaces, including corners. But this might be dangerous in many ways.
How are motorbikes dangerous? First, you are exposing yourself to high chances of falling. And with the high speed, the effect of the fall may be disastrous.
Secondly, if you survive the fall, you might not know what awaits you on the bend. Whether it is a one-way trail or one shared with oncoming vehicles, you can never be sure if a car slowed down after the bend or not. With this, an accident is never inevitable.
3. Harsh Weather Is Harsher on Motorcyclists
You never want to imagine you are the motorcyclist on the road in rainy weather, bracing the slippery road surface as you soak in the cold rainwater.
To make it worse, other drivers will pass by splashing water on you. You also have to sink into the large puddles of water that gather at the valleys giving you an even more difficult time.
You have to maintain a slower speed to remain stable, your visibility is impaired, and the road is more slippery to hold you upright for long. The inevitable happens. You either fall, or your motorbike gets stuck or shuts down.
The worst-case scenario: you may cause accidents and attract even worse results of this ordeal than sticking and sliding on the mud.
4. Lack of Structural Support Is a Risk in Itself
How motorcycles are structured is a call for worry and a great risk factor for the riders out there. With just a small hit from the back, a rider can be at risk of flying off the motorcycle and landing dangerously on the road or some object there.
When an accident occurs, the rider is always exposed to more danger than a driver in the car. Whether they have protective gear or not, riders always receive it rough in the event of an accident.
While cars and tracks have doors and roofs and even safety belts for additional safety, motorcycles only have helmets for their riders.
5. It Is Riskier Making a Panic Stop on a Motorcycle
Slamming on the brakes is sometimes necessary if you are trying to prevent an accident from occurring. The emergency breaks operate so that the front wheels come to a sudden stop leaving the back one(s) in motion.
A car or a track could absorb this shock and come to a safer stop. But what about a motorcycle? The case is not the same.
When you slam on your front motorcycle brakes so hard, you are ordering them to drag you and the rest of the motorcycle and throw you up off the bike. When this happens, you can never predict where and how you will land, which is very risky.
The good news is, there is a remedy for this. You can buy a bike with anti-lock brakes, which helps reduce this problem.
If that is not an option for you, you can take some time to learn how your bike behaves under heavy braking. This only makes you ready for the eventualities when they come knocking in the real battleground.
6. Careless Car Drivers
You are always warned to keep an eye on the road, and at no time should you count on the other road users to care for your safety. This statement actualizes when you meet some of the rogue car drivers on the road.
If they aren’t drunk, they are probably chatting or on a call. If they are sober and not on the phone, they are busy making careless turns without considering who is coming.
All this recklessness from car drivers poses a danger to other road uses, but mostly motorcyclists. Finding yourself at the mercy of such drivers can be detrimental. You can only imagine the predicament.
Are Motorcycles More Dangerous Than Cars? You Have the Answer Now!
Will accidents be the reason you quit on your love for motorbikes? Certainly not. You have to keep doing what you love doing with the bikes, but you must exercise caution.
If you can maintain your focus and concentration on the roads, you can keep the risk of accidents as low as possible.
With all that, you may still wonder; are motorcycles more dangerous than cars? Well, you can answer that perfectly now.
Have you learned something new about motorcycle accidents? Check out our other posts for more information on how to stay safe on the road.