Are Motorcycles Really Safe?

A 33-year-old Windsor man has died following a motorcycle accident Thursday afternoon.

The motorcycle collided with a minivan. Nov. 10 Police closed Tecumseh Road from Chilver Road to Durham Place and Kildare Road.

JD, a local delivery man, said he would rather travel in a car over a motorcycle, because of the open space and lack of protection around the body and the speed it is capable of. He said traveling in a car gives a reduced chance of having an accident.

Officer Rick Howitt, from Windsor police who is also a former collision investigator, said because of the law brought in a few years ago, requiring motorcycles to have a headlight on at all times, there is not a higher risk of collisions. However, he also said, there are still risks present.

Although there are laws to keep citizens safe on the road, motorcycle collisions result in more severe injuries-life threatening, or life altering-because of their lack of seatbelts and airbags, according to Howitt.

“Driving a motorcycle has a high risk of danger, or a greater risk of being injured but I don’t think you’re more likely to be in an accident,” said Howitt.

There have been several motorcycle accidents in Windsor over the past few months.

A 19-year-old male was killed in September, a 27-year-old man was injured in October and two people on a motorcycle suffered life threatening injuries, also in October.

According to Preszler Injury Lawyers, Ontario motorcycle injuries has a rate of 2,194 per 100,000 registered motorcycles. This rate is almost three times the rate of car collisions. Motorcyclists involved in collisions are expected to require more intensive medical care-more than those who suffered injuries in a car accident.