Motorcyclist Clings To Life After Crash

As many of you know I was a Yale RN for many years. One of my many seminars at Yale taught by MD's was a 1 or 2 day event on TRAUMA. Part of this (1 hour) was horrific photos of MC victims. Docs dont want motorcycles. We call them DONORCYCLES especially if helmuts aren't worn. After this course I offered my stepson $500 to give up motorcycling.

I took care of motorcyclists at YNHH. I feel sorry for all victims including the families who are hurting. Thank goodness we have a good teaching hospital in town for adequate medical care.

W1

Stat check. Motorcycles and cars have about the same percentage of single vehicle crashes (half). Within the 50% of motorcycle crashes with cars, 80% of the time the fault lies with cars.

Robn, you're missing Wendy's point, which is simply that when a biker is involved in a crash -- regardless of the number of vehicles involved or whose fault it is -- the injuries are horrific. The rider's unprotected body is exposed to incredible forces of compression, perforation, abrasion, etc. And all the more so if he/she is not wearing a helmet.

GP,

I got it but that's effect, not cause. About 50% of cause is irresponsible use of alcohol on the part of the motorcyclist. The other 50% is irresponsible car drivers (most accidents occur when drivers suddenly veer left in front of or across the path of a motorcyclist.) In fact that exact thing happened to me when I was bicycle commuting a few weeks ago. When I insisted that the driver roll down his window and talk he yelled at me that I was in his "blind spot", even though he had just passed me and should have clearly been aware of me ... the law obliges him to not do what he did.