When motorcycles crash in Florida the chances of anyone riding on the bike suffering a serious head injury is high. Both those driving the motorcycle and those riding on the back of the bike face head injury risks in a crash. However, research about the prevalence of traumatic brain injuries suffered in bike crashes has revealed important information about who faces the highest head injury risk.
Per Reuters, motorcycle passengers are more prone to suffering TBIs in motorcycle crashes than those driving the bike. There are several possible explanations as to why this is the case.
Why motorcycle passengers face elevated head injury risks
Some of the reason motorcycle passengers face higher head injury risks than drivers is because they wear helmets less often. Studies show that while about two-thirds of those who drive motorcycles consistently wear helmets, only about 57% of motorcycle passengers do the same.
Also, in a motorcycle crash, the motorcycle driver has the handlebars to grasp and the windshield offering at least a little bit of protection. The motorcycle passenger may not have anything to hold on to, making him or her more likely to fly off the bike.
Why helmets only help so much
While it is wise for everyone who travels by motorcycle, statistics show that motorcycle passengers face higher TBI risks than drivers even when both parties wear helmets. When motorcycle drivers wore helmets and got into crashes, they suffered TBIs 36% of the time. When passengers did the same, they experienced TBIs in 40% of cases.
While everyone who rides a motorcycle faces the risk of a head injury, there are still obvious benefits that come with wearing helmets.
