With Father’s Day quickly approaching, many dads may want to buy a motorcycle. For those who motorcycles in the 1970s, today’s powerful models may be much more than a rusty rider can handle at first.
If your dad is yearning for the open road, make sure to talk to him at length. If it’s been decades since he last rode, it might be worth telling him that a few of the latest statistics. One of those is that motorcyclists are 26 times more likely to result in a fatal accident than driving a car.
According to a recent study by the Governor’s Highway Safety Association titled Motorcyclist Fatalities by State, the highest rate of fatal crashes happen to motorcyclists. In addition, the average age of motorcyclists that died last year in Wisconsin was 47. In Florida, there was noticeable increase in fatalities for those in the ages groups of 35 to 44 and 55 to 64.
The new models of bikes are much more powerful than the motorcycles of the 1970s. The study’s author said that back in the 1970s, the engine size was 350 cc to 750 cc. Today, there are motorcycles with engines that are two to three times that size. That means that an average motorcycle has as much accelerative force as a Ferrari or a Porsche. A BMW S1000RR has a better power-to-weight ratio than a McLaren P1 — which is a 41.15 million, 903 horsepower supercar. Rusty riders probably aren’t ready for a bike like that.
Traffic and road conditions are also different today than in the 1970s. There are more potholes and deteriorating expansion joints today, which can easily put a motorcycle down. Traffic is much more congested and there are many more distracted drivers.
One way for dads and others to mitigate some of the risks of motorcycle riding is to take a safe rider course. Wearing safety equipment like a helmet is also important.
If you are injured in a motorcycle accident caused by another person’s negligence and recklessness, you have a right to seek compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and more. An attorney can help you determine what legal options you have.
Source: Yahoo News, “Why a Motorcycle Might Not Be a Good Father's Day Gift,” June 16, 2016
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