Conspicuousness and risk of motorcycle injury

It is a tragic fact that thousands of people are killed in motorcycle accidents or suffer serious motorcycle injuries in the UK each year. Consider the many other countries in the world, and this figure reaches tens and even hundreds of thousands. Motorcycling is one of the most dangerous forms of transport as it leaves the rider so vulnerable in the event of an accident, which is why nearly every crash results in a motorcycle injury of some kind.

Researchers and campaigners around the world are trying to make motorcycling a safer mode of transport and prevent some of the many motorcycle injuries that occur on the roads. Campaigns such as SMIDSY aim to improve the awareness of other road users, whilst motorcycle safety clothing manufacturers are constantly working on improving materials to give better protection to riders.

The conspicuity of motorcyclists
One area which has been worked on by a set of Australian researchers is how conspicuousness affects a rider's risk of suffering a motorcycling injury. It has long been advised that motorcyclists should make themselves as visible as possible and indeed it seems obvious that being easy to see will reduce the risk of a motorcycle accident, but surprisingly few studies have actually been carried out to prove the point.

The Australian researchers looked at a number of different factors in their study, and found that three stood out as being particularly significant. The first, and most significant, was the type of clothing worn by motorcyclists. They discovered that riders who wear any reflective or fluorescent clothing have a 37% lower chance of sustaining a motorcycle injury than those who do not.

The second significant finding was that having a headlight turned on, even during the day, reduced the risk of suffering a motorcycle injury by 27%. Perhaps sensibly, many countries have already made headlights on motorbikes mandatory, despite there being little evidence to support the move. This is not the case in the UK, although many bikers choose to do this as a matter of course.

The researchers' third finding was in regard to the colour of a rider's helmet. The results of the study show that riders who wear a light-coloured helmet have a 24% lower risk of sustaining a motorcycle injury than those with a black hat. White helmets seem to be the most effective in preventing accidents.

Claiming compensation for a motorcycle injury
If you are one of the many thousands of people who have suffered a motorcycle injury through no fault of their own, you may well wish to pursue a compensation claim against the person who caused the road traffic accident.

It is totally cost-free to make a motorcycle injury claim with YouClaim, thanks to our no cost, no fee policy. Even in the unlikely event that your claim is unsuccessful, you will not be asked to pay a penny to our personal injury solicitors or anyone else.

We are experts in motorcycle accident claims and have helped many people get no win, no fee compensation which is appropriate for the injury they have suffered. Whether your motorcycle injury is minor whiplash or a serious back injury, our personal injury solicitors have the expertise to get you the compensation that you deserve.

To start your motorcycle injury claim today or simply find out more about our claims process, please contact us. You can telephone us free on 0800 10 757 95, chat to us online via e-chat, or fill in an online form and we will call you back.