Accident trauma for motorcyclists can be profound. For those unlucky enough to sustain life or limb-threatening trauma, the effects can last for a lifetime. Many may find that their attitude, not just to riding, but to risk management and mitigation changes, because of injuries sustained. Many more may suffer mental anxiety from PTSD from the effects of an accident or accident.
This article was created to help those who have suffered an acute or chronic injury from a motorcycle accident in understanding that they are not alone. As someone who has sustained life-threatening and limb-threatening serious injuries in accidents, the effects of those incidents can and often do carry over to affect a person’s daily activities and mental health.
Often, when motorcyclists give up motorcycling, it isn’t because of their innate fear or inability to accept risk, it has more to do with the pressure that’s exerted externally. For me, while it’s understandable, is still somewhat an unfair pressure to have exerted on oneself. Be that as it may, I have had several friends to whom this pressure has been such that as they age, unlike me, have subsequently succumbed to it. This is in no way a judgment of that decision. We all need to do what is right for us. They may prove to be right, and I, wrong.
The Studies
In the studies performed in Australia, it is worth noting, that motorcyclists and bicyclists are categorized as ‘vulnerable road users’ as they represent a specific cohort of individuals apart from those in other vehicles that have incurred a motor vehicle accident.
While ridership behavior can certainly lower one’s risk, the outcome of being involved in a motorcycle accident is usually much more significant for the motorcyclist than for those in cars. In Australia, road crash fatality rates have declined by 300 percent more than vulnerable road users (VRUs). Bureau of Infrastructure Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE). Road trauma: Australia 2019 statistical summary. BITRE. 2020; Canberra (ACT). Despite being less than 5% of all registered motor vehicles in Australia, motorcyclists represent more than 25% of non-fatal hospital admissions. In the US, motorcycles represent only 3% of all registered vehicles, yet in 2018, fatalities for motorcyclists were 27 times higher than for four-wheeled vehicles, and injuries were 400% higher.
https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-021-12003-0#ref-CR5
This article will focus on the findings of the Australian Government’s studies. While there are a large number of statistics sources available from other countries and government agencies, including institutions like policing, health care, and universities, this representative sample’s findings appear to be consistent across different countries and demographic groupings.
Results
Motorcyclists comprised 33.9% of the overall study cohort injured in road crashes. Most motorcyclists were male (88.1%), younger (38 years), less educated, and had lower incomes than the remainder of the cohort. Motorcyclists had the highest prevalence of hospital stay and greater injury severity.
Motorcyclists experienced lower extremity injuries and conversely less head/face injuries than vehicle occupants, likely due to the compulsory requirement of wearing an approved helmet in Australia. However, car drivers suffered twice the proportion of psychological injury compared to cyclists and motorcyclists.
Pain from trauma caused by the accidents was higher for motorcyclists than for those in cars, and while motorcyclists had poorer health and overall health than bicyclists, they had significantly better psychological scores 12 months after the accident.
Significance of the Findings
The resilience reported by motorcyclists, despite the severity of the crash-related injury sustained, seems a consistent finding (two other larger cohort studies verified this finding) and is worthy of further discussion.
It points to an interesting finding. The study’s findings indicate that the beneficial psychological-social factors for motorcyclists include sensation-seeking, risk-taking, and intentional safe riding which led to fewer psychological problems associated with anxiety/depression and or pain/discomfort. They established that the reason for this appeared to be due to the social and relationship structures of the group as a whole.
As a cohort or group, motorcyclists seem to be more resilient to their level of comfort with risk. They seem to accept risk as part of the journey when riding a motorcycle and fare better psychologically due to their inherent acceptance of risk and reward.
The findings of the studies suggest that motorcyclists are unique in that, unlike other groups of accident victims, those who can return to riding, most will do so, without suffering any undue psychosis or post-traumatic stress (PTSD).
This is not to suggest that riders who do suffer mental anxiety should not feel anxiety. We are all different. Some of us will suffer more acutely or chronically for a range of reasons that have nothing to do with the incident itself, but from a range of underlying factors contributing to or affecting one’s mental health. Having PTSD or CTSD, or chronic traumatic stress disorder, has nothing to do with strength or weakness. We are all inherently different, facing different challenges or histories.
It would seem that awareness, acceptance of risk, and planning with respect to mitigating risk are all important factors that differentiate riders from bicyclists and automobile drivers.
These studies also indicate that for most of us who are avid motorcyclists, wearing ATGATT, and taking proactive measures in order to be ‘seen’ while riding, assists in the management of stress and anxiety. When combined with the value that we place on riding in relation to anxiety relief, relaxation and situational awareness, it increases our ability to live ‘in the moment’. These are all factors that improve or lower riding anxiety and subseqent accident outcomes in terms of recovery and mental health.
Ciao…
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