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Doctors newspaper online, 02.08.2019
motorcycle accidents
Heavy protective clothing, protectors on the back – this should protect motorcyclists from serious injury. Even at low speeds and a collision on the highway that is not enough, a scientist warns.
By Carsten Linnhoff
© lassedesignen / stock.adobe.com
MUNSTER. Siegfried Brockmann has been driving motorcycles for decades. The Director of accident research of insurers (GDV) judges his own study results from the point of view of the two-wheeled pilot as rather disappointing: "That is certainly depressing." Brockmann and his team had looked at the fatal accidents with motorcyclists in detail.
They wanted to know: which injuries have led to death, and has driving in a group impact? The bikers are on the weekend and in nice weather like to go in the crowd.
Motorcyclist 21 times endangered
In 2018, 619 motorcyclists died in road traffic in Germany, according to figures from the Federal Statistical Office. In relation to the kilometers driven, motorcyclists are 21 times more likely to die in traffic than motorists.
According to the GDV study, motorcyclists do not benefit from the general progress in road safety. For example, the usual clothing with protectors does not protect you from life-threatening injuries when you hit an obstacle at speeds above 25 kilometers per hour.
"We must state clearly that no workable protective clothing is capable of preventing fatal injury in the event of a collision with normal highway speed," says Brockmann. The protective clothing naturally has its meaning. Especially when falling on the asphalt – without impact.
Most accident itself caused
The great potential for improvement sitting on the bike, says Brockmann: Two-thirds of all killed motorcyclists on country roads had caused the accident itself. Either because he or she had gotten into oncoming traffic, or because he / she had not kept the necessary distance in the group.
Somewhat surprising: The inattentive motorist, who overlooks the motorcyclist, is less likely than expected accident trigger. "Major accident opponents are not cars, but motorcyclists," says the researcher.
The expert therefore advocated compulsory driving safety training. "Danger awareness is important. There we have a big lever. "But without compulsion it probably does not work.
200 accidents analyzed
For the study, Brockmann had evaluated over 2,000 heavy two-wheeler accidents. Of the fatal injuries, 94% were chest and 63% head. "15 percent of all serious accidents were on group trips. That's below average, "says Brockmann.
He appeals to bikers to maintain greater safety margins and drive. "Actually, I should say that the drivers should be even longer distances, but then it would be no more driving in the group."
In 2011, 708 motorcyclists died in an accident in Germany, so it was in 2016 according to the data 536 – and then again in 2018 619th Even with the lightly and severely injured drivers vary the numbers.
After 17,728 serious injuries in 2010, this figure was 20,480 last year. In 2010 there were 8606 slightly injured motorcyclists, 2018 it was 10,320. (AP)
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