The Right Riding Gear Also Builds a Stronger Case
It happens thousands of times a year across the country. A seasoned rider is being safe on the Richardson, Texas roads, and still a negligent motorist cuts them off, turns in front of them, or otherwise violates their rights. If you’re the motorcycle rider, you’re not to blame, but the outcome still depends on how you reacted.
What you do before the crash can have a significant impact on the outcome. Today the Car Crash Captain is looking at how protective gear actually plays more than one role. It can help you respond to negligent drivers sooner, and it can reduce the severity of the injuries you may incur if you do still wreck.
The Right Riding Gear Helps You React Faster
We know the importance of safety. A DOT approved helmet substantially reduces your risks of death or traumatic brain injury. And proper pads help reduce the risk of severe lacerations and road rash. But did you know that the right gear helps to reduce bulk, improves your mobility, and optimizes comfort while you ride?
When you’re comfortable, your body isn’t working as hard. You don’t become fatigued, you vision and motion isn’t as restricted, and you can react much faster than if you don’t have exactly the right riding gear.
Most of the time, you’ll be riding in the Texas heat. Having gear that protects you can sometimes be too bulky, and you get overheated. A study published in 2019 looked at protective clothing and found that if you’re wearing gear that isn’t properly ventilated, your reaction times become significantly slower.
Even if you can react just half a second faster, you increase your chances of avoiding a wreck and potentially serious injuries. Lighter, well-fitting, armored jackets and pants that are made for hot climates allow you better movement and vision.
The Right Riding Gear Reduces Injuries
There will always be those that don’t believe gear can reduce injuries. They take the risk of riding without a helmet so they can experience the freedom that comes with the wind in your hair on the open road.
But there’s no denying the studies. Gear is studied intensively because if a company makes something that’s supposed to protect, and it doesn’t live up to the claims, they can get in a lot of trouble. So, choosing the right gear means you’re choosing a ride with less risk.
One study showed that riders who wore motorcycle jackets had a relative risk of 0.79 (meaning they were 21% less likely to be hospitalized than those who didn’t wear a jacket. If they wore protective pants, they had a 51% lower chance, and protective gloves reduced the risk by 59%.
Another study showed that protective clothing significantly reduced soft-tissue injuries, but didn’t help as much for fractures (which is why body armor style is worn by many riders).
If you’re hit by a negligent driver, the severity of your injury can affect your medical bills, recovery tie, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. Wearing the right protective gear shows that you were doing everything you could to ride safely, but you were still injured. This strengthens your case because despite the protection, you were still injured because of someone else’s wrongdoing.
Choosing the Right Gear for Riding in Texas
So, if you’re riding in Texas, what should you look for?
- CE certified armor at the joints, shoulders, and hips work well.
- Find materials that balance protection, mobility, and ventilation (especially for those summer rides).
- Ensure a snug fit, but one that doesn’t reduce your range of motion.
- Consider lighter armored pants instead of heavier overalls for mobility.
Then, be alert when you ride, and be defensive.
What if You’re Injured in a DFW Area Motorcycle Wreck?
If you are taking all the right precautions, and a negligent driver still causes you pain and suffering, then you need to speak with motorcycle wreck lawyer from Herbert Law Group right away.
We have the experience necessary to ensure a strong argument for your justice. Whether you were in Richardson, Plano, or anywhere else in the Dallas area, we’re here to help you receive the compensation you deserve to fully cover your injuries.
First, though, we need to know what happened. Let’s chat about it with a free consultation. Just call our offices at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site, and we’ll reach out to you.