Last semester, I loved my motorcycle. I would tell anyone who listened how advantageous a motorcycle, with its 2 wheels and easy parking, is over a car. I would give myself 5 minutes to commute from home to class and have time to spare. It was amazing. I even wrote a column to convince everyone else to jump on the 2-wheel bandwagon.
Four months later, I’m writing about what I’ve learned from my first accident.
On Jan. 8, the first day of the spring semester, it poured all day long. And after my last class, my professor clearly told me to “ride safe” on my way home. 10 minutes later, my bike was on the ground, my hand was bleeding, and everything was hurting.
After three hours at the ER and 10 x-rays later, I ended up getting three stitches in my hand. Luckily, my helmet, gloves, and long clothing protected me from further injuries. I wear so much protection when I ride because of a video I watched called “Human Crayon.” The video shows how delicate your everyday fabric can be when you are involved in a motorcycle accident.
Commuting with a moped or motorcycle can make life easier, from parking to gas, but it comes at a price. Before hopping on a moped or motorcycle, understand the risks that come with it. You are more exposed to the elements of the world, and there is no shell to protect you compared to a four-wheeled vehicle. This is when wearing the right protective gear comes into the picture.
According to the CDC, helmets reduce the risk of head injury by 69% and prevent deaths for riders by 37% and 41% for passengers.
Whether riding a motorcycle or a moped, you should always wear a helmet. Most moped riders in the community have no head protection, which puts them at a higher risk if they are involved in an accident. There are more moped riders at Chaminade than motorcyclists; out of all the moped riders I have seen on campus, not one of them wears a helmet. Some may think that wearing a helmet seems ridiculous just because of how it looks. Others may think that it’s inconvenient to wear a helmet if they’re only going “down the road.” If I had crashed without my helmet on, I could have injured my head badly. I fell face-first to the ground, but fortunately, my helmet prevented anything from happening to my head.
Just because a helmet may seem ridiculous or inconvenient, it could save your life.
According to the Hawai’i Department of Transportation, in 2023, there were 27 motorbike-related fatalities in Hawai’i, roughly 29% of all traffic fatalities in the state. 20 of those motorbike-related fatalities were unhelmeted.
I was lucky not to have been involved with any other vehicles when I crashed my motorcycle. Before I crashed, I was only going about 10 mph while making a turn, and I still ended up with stitches. If I had gone any faster or if there was another vehicle involved, I would have been hurt much worse.
Despite my accident, I’m going to continue to ride, just with more experience and awareness. One major lesson I took away from my accident is always to have the right protective gear on, regardless of how short or long your ride will be. A helmet could save your life.