We have discussed the dangerous consequences of motorcycle accidents in previous posts. Motorcycle riders are at an increased risk for serious personal injuries when an accident occurs because a motorcycle does not afford a rider any protection in the event of a crash. While car drivers can use seatbelts to remain in their cars during a high impact crash, motorcyclists are frequently injured upon being ejected from their bikes.
One such accident happened last weekend in Putnam County according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol. A 59-year-old Nashville man was killed just after 1 p.m. on Interstate 40, just east of Smith County. The man's 2008 Suzuki motorcycle was in the left eastbound lanes of I-40 when the man activated his right signal light and moved into the right lane.
The motorcycle drifted too far over, ran off the road, and hit a guardrail. The impact of the guardrail sent the Nashville man flying off of his motorcycle as the motorcycle traveled back across the eastbound lanes of I-40. The motorcycle eventually came to rest in the median of the highway.
Many motorcyclists travel without wearing helmets, placing them at risk for suffering traumatic brain injuries. Many of these helmet-less riders claim that helmets are ungainly and would not prevent death in most motorcycle accidents. The Nashville man in Saturday's crash was wearing a helmet. Although the helmet was not helpful in saving his life, many survivors of motorcycle accidents who do sustain serious brain injuries note that a helmet can lessen the repercussions of a non-fatal crash.
Source: The Herald Citizen, "Nashville man killed in Putnam motorcycle crash," Mary Jo Denton, 5/3/11