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So, what happened? The news report was vague, so we can’t know for sure, but we can imagine that the rider was high on adrenaline, riding with fast friends and pushing his limits. I imagine him drifting wide, panic causing him to grab the brakes and stand the bike upright as his eyes lock on the approaching car.
Crashes like this are avoidable. So why do riders get themselves into such serious trouble? It’s usually because riders want to enjoy the feeling of cornering fast, but have an optimistic and inaccurate perception of the risks and their own ability. Optimistic riders are more likely to charge into a blind corner, willing to gamble that they can handle any situation that may occur. They may also trust that all other road users will behave just as they’re supposed to, stopping at traffic lights, changing lanes predictably, and yielding to the right of way. But optimism is a fool’s friend in this case.
Identifying a potential hazard is a large part of the battle, but to avoid a collision or crash also requires an avoidance action, such as braking, turning, or swerving. Unfortunately, many riders act inappropriately or fail to act at all. The Motorcycle Accidents in Depth Study (MAIDS) report shows that 69.8% of riders attempted some form of collision avoidance before the impact, but that a significant number of riders who attempted no avoiding action. This reaction failure may be because of “panic-freeze” or because there simply was no time to complete the action.
Even when riders have the ability and the time to perform an evasive maneuver, it doesn’t mean they will perform well. According to MAIDS, about 20% of riders end up crashing because of a loss of control while attempting an evasive maneuver. The most common example is when a rider over-brakes, skids, and collides with a car, even though the rider may have had plenty of time to stop safely if he had applied the brakes properly and avoided skidding. Another example are riders who enter a turn too fast for their ability and instead of leaning more, stand the bike up and run off the road.
Most riders facing a hazard will attempt an avoidance maneuver, but many choose the wrong one or fail to perform well enough. One example is choosing to swerve instead of brake. An unsuccessful swerve without any significant reduction in speed can be disastrous as the rider collides full-speed into the car or obstacle. Slowing before swerving is an option, but this requires more time and there is a significant risk of losing traction if you swerve and brake at the same time.
There are many reasons why crashes occur. I recommend you take a look at the MAIDS findings for yourself (www.maids-study.eu). You will gain an understanding of crash causation so that you can develop strategies that may help you to beat the odds.
Most riders facing a hazard will attempt an avoidance maneuver, but many choose the wrong one or fail to perform well enough.
Handling the Aftermath
Bummer! You fell down today. Your bike is heavily damaged, and you will soon be getting an emergency department bill in the mail. You’ll be dealing with insurance companies for months trying to sort out the financial mess. The bike can be fixed or replaced, and your body will heal, but what about the condition of your emotions and mind?
Depending on the severity of the mishap, you may have difficulty trying to comprehend what happened. After a crash, many riders question their perception of safety and continue to suffer because they don’t know how to repair the mental damage. This trauma can lead to the person choosing to stop riding if it becomes too stressful for both the rider and his or her family.
PTSD
When a person is involved in a serious crash, there can be significant psychological trauma. Many survivors of motor-vehicle crashes suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can include lingering anxiety that can easily retrigger feelings that occurred at the moment of the crash. We often associate PTSD with exposure to combat conditions, but the National Institutes of Health report that motor vehicle crashes are one of the leading causes of PTSD.
The American Academy of Family Physicians lists several common reactions to being involved in a crash:
•Shock
•Trouble believing the incident really happened
•Anger
•Nervousness or worry
•Feeling uneasy or scared
•Guilt
It’s also common to keep going over the incident in your mind.
Not everyone experiences significant emotional trauma, but some people are more vulnerable than others. The Mayo Clinic lists several factors that may make someone susceptible to PTSD:
•Your inherited mental health risks, such as an increased risk of anxiety and depression
•Your life experiences, including the amount and severity of trauma you’ve gone through since early childhood
•The inherited aspects of your personality—often called your temperament
•The way your brain regulates the chemicals and hormones your body releases in response to stress.
•The American Academy of Family Physicians also mentions several reactions that may indicate the need to seek help:
•An ongoing, general feeling of uneasiness
•Problems driving or riding in vehicles
•Not wanting to have medical tests or procedures
•Overreactions or being overly worried or angry
•Nightmares or trouble sleeping
•A feeling like you’re not connected to other events or other people
•Ongoing memories of the accident that you can’t stop
One technique that some psychologists and therapists use to treat PTSD is called eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR). EMDR is a technique whose effectiveness I can attest to after a health scare resulted in anxiety that affected my day-to-day life. EMDR basically reprograms your cognitive mechanisms to reduce the lingering effects of trauma. Consult a professional to see whether EMDR is something that may help you or a loved on to overcome PTSD.
RIDING TERM
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Survivors of motorcycle crashes often experience this disorder, which includes feelings of lingering anxiety and ongoing memories of the incident.
Debrief and Evaluate
Whether you are involved in a tipover, a close call, or a crash, it is important to take the time to evaluate the situation so you might learn from it. A rider who does not ask “what happened?” is at risk of a repeat performance. Asking this basic question will help you understand how to avoid a similar situation in the future, and it might also help you overcome fear and apprehension.
First, determine the cause of the crash. Resist blaming others. Yes, the “other guy” may have played a significant role in the incident, but you can’t directly control others’ actions. You can, however, influence their behavior and prevent a crash. In a
