The Abrasive Side Of Motorcycle Riding in Wisconsin

Most Wisconsin bikers are aware of the risks they take sharing the road with car and truck drivers who are not always sufficiently attentive and careful. The stakes are high for motorcyclists: whereas only about 20 percent of car accidents involve injury or death, the rate jumps to 80 percent for motorcyclists.

Some motorcyclists seem to find that the stakes are not high enough, as they take to the road wearing shorts, a T-shirt and flip-flops. Maybe a closer look at what road rash is might help them reconsider and take more precautions to avoid sustaining injuries in a bike crash.

Road rash, or road burn, is what happens when a biker is thrown off a motorcycle at high speed and slides on the rough pavement. The result can be one of the most painful injuries you can think of. Like burn injuries, road rash comes in three degrees of severity, from slight skin abrasion to deep wounds exposing flesh and bones.

Third degree road rash requires skin grafts and surgery to repair the damaged bones, muscles, nerves, fat and tissue. The treatment is long and painful and often leaves deep scars.

The only way to avoid road rash is to wear adequate protective gear. No matter how sunny and hot the weather is, any experienced motorcyclist will put on several protective layers before taking to the road:

• Leather jacket and chaps;
• Gloves
• Boots
• Full face helmet

If you or someone you love has been hurt in a car, truck or motorcycle accident resulting in serious, long lasting or life-changing injuries, contact Hupy & Abraham today at 800-800-5676 (toll-free) or 414-223-4800 (local) for a free evaluation of your case, or send us an e-mail with your questions. Hupy & Abraham, S.C. has offices in Milwaukee, Madison, and Appleton in Wisconsin, and Gurnee and Bloomington in Illinois.