The Most Common Types of Motorcycle Injury

26/03/2022

The Most Common Types of Motorcycle Crashes

According to the National Institute of Health, there are four main types of motorcycle crashes. Distinguishing these by category helps determine patterns that can later be used to help treat such accidents. The four main types are:

Collision: This occurs when a motorcycle rider experiences deceleration forces and blunt trauma after being struck by a stationary object
Lowside: This is when the motorcycle rider, during a turn, falls to the lowside of the angle to which they are leaning
Highside: This occurs when a motorcycle rider turns, but falls to the opposite side while trying to correct their turn. This causes the motorcycle to flip, and causes the motorcycle rider to be thrown from the vehicle
Topside: The motorcycle rider is flipped over the motorcycle’s handlebars after a sudden deceleration

The Most Common Injuries on a Motorcycle

In the same study, the types of injury resulting from those crash types were also broken down. Riders of motorcycles are six times more likely to be involved in an accident than a driver of a motor vehicle. Understanding these types of injury makes them easier to identify, and therefore treat, by medical professionals.

Head-leading collisions: These injuries occur after a motorcycle
rider is thrown from the motorcycle and usually present with obvious
head trauma. Skull fractures, contusions and soft tissue injuries are typical,
as are traumatic brain injuries.
Direct vertical impact: This type of injury is often incurred when
a rider hits their shoulder on a pole or road sign at high speed.
This can fracture the clavicle or scapula, the forearm, as well as the hand and wrist.
Motorcycle radius: Due to a tendency when thrown from a motorcycle
to extend one’s arms to brace the body, the radius bone often absorbs
much of this impact, causing it to fracture.
Motorcycle thumb: Also caused by bracing, as well as the locking of
elbows, if a motorcyclist grips the handlebars during the impact, the
pressure imparted through handlebars from the collision can injure
the thumb and related ligaments.
Fuel tank injuries: When a motorcycle stops abruptly, injury can occur
to the pelvis and bladder due to the high velocity.
Limb entrapment: When a limb is trapped between the motorcycle and
a fixed object, it can cause fractures or other injuries, especially in the
tibia, foot and ankle.
Tire Spoke Injury: When a rider’s foot is caught in the spokes of the
motorcycle’s tire, they can suffer soft-tissue damage and have a high
amputation risk.
Crash modifying maneuver: When a rider attempts to compensate for
an impending crash by stretching out their leg, they may suffer fracture
dislocations and mangled extremities.

Why Are Motorcycle Injuries Important to Distinguish?

Due to the scope of injuries that can happen on a motorcycle, medical professionals are often placed under immense pressure to identify the type of injury and potential treatment as rapidly as possible. While these types of patterns were identified and researched to help treat them quickly, it should also help to understand them to increase one’s own safeness when driving or riding a motorcycle.