Understanding and Preventing Road Rash Accidents

Mesriani_Law_Group | May 24, 2010 |

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Road rash accidents are injuries that are usually related to motorcycle and bicycle crashes.

Road rash is a type of skin and/or bone injury that is caused by the impact between your body and the road.

Bicyclists and motorcyclists are usually the common victims because unlike car occupants, they are not as protected and their body is exposed to the road immediately after the crash.

Road rash is also generally connected to speeding because the higher the speed, the greater the force that will throw you off the bike or motorcycle.

Although it is not usually life threatening, these abrasions are pretty painful and may leave some permanent scarring.

There are actually three degrees of damage associated to road rash accident (similar to burn injuries):

· First degree road rash only affects the first layer of the skin and can be treated with first aid.

· Second degree road rash breaks the first layer of the skin but does not go beyond that. Doctors may need to stitch the wound or trim out some excess skin, but otherwise it is not very dangerous.

· Third degree injuries is a different matter altogether. The damage goes beyond the first layer and may even expose some tissues and fat. Immediate medical attention should be given and the victim may need skin grafting because the wound may not naturally heal.

To avoid road rash accidents, here are some tips that you can follow:

· Aside from the helmet, bicyclists and motorcyclists should also wear protective clothing against road rash. Although it will not completely prevent injuries, it can lessen the impact and can provide some cushion between your body and the road. The most common protective clothing against road rash accidents are:

o Jacket – A simple leather jacket protects your arms, back, chest and midsection during a collision.

o Gloves – This not only protects your hands, but also gives you a better grip on the bike or motorcycle's handlebars, which in turn gives you more control over the vehicle.

o Chaps – This is protect you from the heat of the engine between your legs and from road rash in case of a crash

· Obey traffic rules and drive your bike and motorcycle within speeds that you can handle. Remember that speeding is the main cause of road rash accidents.

· Learn proper bike handling to avoid bike or motorcycle accidents.