Do Motorcycle Gears Save Live?

I visited my old friend last Saturday who recently had a severe accident. And you probably don’t have any idea how I’m thankful for motorcycle gears to save his life. I thought, why shouldn’t I write a post about motorcycle gear saving lives? 

Motorcycle gears such as back protector, helmet, boots, riding jacket, and airbags works by forming an overall thick layer around you and thus protecting you from any life-threatening injury. But to expect better safety, you should have to wear all riding gear during riding. 

Let’s look at what it means for you and what you can do about it. While writing this post, I leave no stone unturned so you can get essential knowledge about motorcycle gears for free.

Do Motorcycle Gears Save Lives:

According to data published on Statista in 2020, there were over 79,000 accidents in 2018 in the USA. Out of these, around 5000 were fatal accidents that injured riders. 

You can read the study here on Statista for free. 

From the above study, it’s clear that there’s nothing called accident-free riding. You could even face some accidents in the future while riding. 

Motorcycle gears keep you warm while riding in winter and protect you from any life-threatening injuries. 

But it doesn’t mean you should wear motorcycle gear in the winter only. 

In Virginia, it’s mandatory to wear motorbike gear, including a helmet while riding. 

Motorcycle safety foundation (MSF) points out that motorcycle gears not only protect you from life-threatening injuries. But it also protects you from dust, debris, and insects that might disturb your balance while riding and gives you comfortable riding. 

They also point out that you must wear proper gear covering you from head to toe for complete safety.

Now let’s dig deeper and find some safety equipment you should include in your motorbike gears list. 

What to Include in Gears for Max Protection?:

Many people don’t have much idea about adding things to include in motorbike gear.

Even many people still think motorbike gear only includes helmets. 

Although helmets are necessary for your head protection, there are other body parts that you should also take care of. 

Add motorcycle helmets, back protectors, motorcycle riding pants, riding boots, riding jackets, airbags, riding gloves, and glasses to your motorbike gear list. And make sure you wear all your riding gear before going for a motorbike ride for better safety.

You can find all safety equipment below, which you can include in your motorcycle gear. 

What to Include in a Motorcycle Gear Set. Reason
Motorcycle HelmetsIt protects you from any severe head injuries. 
Motorcycle Back ProtectorIt protects your back and kidney from shock and severe injuries. 
Riding GlassesRiding glasses protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, insects, dust, and debris. 
Motorcycle AirbagsIt protects your ribs and neck from severe injuries. 
Motorcycle Riding PantsRiding pants protect your feet from any abrasion. 
Riding BootsRiding boots protect your ankle from abrasion. 
Motorcycle Riding GlovesRiding gloves protects tumbling and numbing fingers while you ride for a longer time. 

Motorcycle Helmets: 

Motorcycle helmets are probably the essential thing that you should include in your motorcycle gear list. 

Helmets protect you from any life-threatening head injuries.

But let’s not reach a conclusion yet; I’ve some studies to show which can clear your doubts. 

National Highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) published a report concluding that helmets saved more than 1800 riders’ lives in 2016. 

In the same report, NHTSA claimed that 809 people could also save their lives if they wore a helmet, but unfortunately, they didn’t wear it while riding.

You can see the report here on page number 8.

Motorcycle helmets proved to be 37% effective for motorbike riders and 41% for motorbike passengers. 

Think in this way, every 37 riders and 41 motorbike passengers could have saved their lives if they wore helmets. 

NHTSA also published a report in 2017 concluding, the US alone can save more than $1 billion if all riders wear motorcycle helmets. 

And our government could use this $1 billion for better use. 

You can see the report here.

Another non-profitable organization combined more than 60 studies. The final result in 2008 concluded that helmets could reduce death caused by severe accidents by 42%. 

And can reduce the risk of severe injuries by 69%. 

You can read the study in detail on Pubmed NIH.

However, in the above studies, I didn’t find the effect of helmets on neck and cheek injuries. 

These studies also have insufficient data on helmet types’ effect on head injuries. More studies are still needed on the impact of helmet types on head injuries.  

Watch how helmets work and protect your brain.

Back Protectors: 

Back protectors are probably the most underrated safety gear. 

If you’re a professional rider, you must know how important it is to wear a back protector.  

The back protector covers your whole back and kidney area and acts as a barrier by absorbing all energy at the time of impact, thus protecting your back and kidney. Additionally, the back protector makes your posture straight and reduces back pain, making it worth it. 

You covered your head with a good helmet, but what about your spinal cord? Isn’t the spinal cord essential for you too? 

And that’s why manufacturers made back protectors for people who care about their spinal cord.

Biomedical.com, in 2016, combined more than 180 studies on back protectors, concluding that non-standard clothing and foam-filled motorcycle jackets may be the two leading causes of severe back injuries. 

In the same study, researchers found that standard or hard shell back protectors may be associated with a reduced number of severe back injury cases. 

Also, according to Biomedical.com, riders who wore solid back protectors while riding faced 3X less severe injuries than riders who wore foam-filled jackets. 

However, these studies still lack proper evidence, and more proper studies are still needed to reach any solid conclusion. 

Until then, I think no one will wait for further studies instead of wearing a solid back protector. 

Please note that the back protector only works on full gears from the head to the leg.

It would be best not to take your safety casually.

Air Bags: 

Have you ever seen motorcycle airbags? 

No, I’m not talking about airbags that open in the car at the time of the accident. 

Motorcycle airbags protect your ribs and neck area from any severe injuries at the time of the accident. Airbags work the same as car bags which involve the explosion of the airbag at the time of impact. But unlike car airbags, motorcycle airbag doesn’t explode because of a chemical reaction. 

There are many different types of airbags, and the effectiveness of airbags varies from category to category. 

For instance, an intelligent motorcycle jacket is seven times more effective than an ordinary airbag. But an intelligent motorcycle jacket can’t protect your neck and upper rib cage from impact.

Also, read, do motorcycle jackets protect you from accidents? here.

Motorcycle Riding Pants: 

I’ve covered all safety equipment that can protect your upper body well. But you would need solid protection for your lower body too. 

Riding pants are made of thick fabrics which can protect your feet from any abrasion at the time of the accident. Motorcycle riding pants are generally loose so you can wear them over ordinary pants. The riding pants also facilitate the comfort which you need while riding the motorbike.  

Many riding pants also come with knee protectors, which protect your knee if you collide unintentionally with another motorbike. 

Make sure your motorbike pants aren’t too tight or too loose. Generally, people always order riding pants just one size bigger than their ordinary pants. 

Motorcycle Riding Glass: 

Probably your eyes are the most crucial organ you used while riding. After all, you might don’t want to lose your vision for even a second. 

And that’s why you need riding glass if your helmet doesn’t have a clear visor.  

Motorbike riding glasses are essential for protecting your eyes from dust, debris, UV rays, and insects. These may cause vision loss for a few seconds. Riding glasses are even more necessary if you ride in a dry climate.

Always choose riding glasses that could easily fit in your helmet.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Do motorcycle gears save lives?

Yes, motorcycle gears save lives by protecting your organs from the impact.

What you should include in your gear list?

Experts always recommend including helmets, motorcycle airbags, and back protectors at least if you’re a serious rider.

How do back protectors work?

The back protector covers your whole back and kidney area and acts as a barrier by absorbing all energy at the time of impact

Does riding glass protect you from UV rays?

Yes, riding glasses are made to protect your eyes from UV rays.

How do riding boots work?

Riding boots work by protecting your ankle from abrasion. 

Final Verdict:

Do motorcycle gears save lives? Motorcycle gears include a back protector, helmet, boots, riding jacket, and airbags, forming an overall thick layer around you and thus protecting you from any injury. 

Motorcycle gears could also protect you from any severe injuries which could seriously harm you. Before riding, you should’ve full motorcycle gear to expect better safety.