THE MOTORCYCLIST - EASY RIDER OR EASY VICTIM - AN ANALYSIS OF MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS IN GERMANY

This report reviews the findings from 86 motorcycle accidents during a I-year period at the Trauma Center ''Bergmannsheil'' in Bochum, Germa ny A study of the case histories supplemented by telephone conversatio ns yielded the following results: 90.7% of the patients were men, and the average age was 28.8 years; most of the accidents occurred in the 25 to 30-year-old age group (27.9%). Motorcycle accidents happened mos tly during recreational rides on weekends in the summertime, Although there was a high rate of helmet use (98.8%), the head region was affec ted in 12 victims. Two patients died because of their severe head inju ries (2.3%), Lower extremity injuries (46%), especially open tibia fra ctures (19.7%), were among the most common injuries sustained. Fractur es of the distal radius constituted the largest portion of upper extre mity injuries (18.8%), The average stay in our hospital was 35.4 days; 23.4% of the patients had to change jobs after the accident. Fifty pe rcent of the crashes happened with motorcycles between 500 and 750 cc stroke volume. Although 34.5% possessed their driver's licenses for mo re than 8 years, they had not had much experience handling a motorbike . These results underline the fact that motorcycle accidents are susta ined by young men in their working prime; as a result, these accidents pose a tremendous burden to individuals and society and every attempt should be made to offer highly qualified surgical and trauma care to minimize the damage to the motorbiker. A plea is made for more prevent ion measures like driver education, better road conditions, or legisla tive changes to prevent motorcycle crashes. The wearing of a helmet is strongly advocated, Copyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.