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SALT LAKE CITY — When the weather warms up, expect to see more motorcyclists out on the road. You might think it's the young, inexperienced riders that are in danger of injury, but various factors mean more and more older riders are getting hurt.
A new study says that aging riders are three times more likely to be in a crash.
"A lot of them don't realize their reflexes are getting slower," said Dan Terry, a motorcycle educator at SLCC. They may not notice their eyesight getting poorer, or that their skills have gotten rusty after years off the bike. When they get behind those handlebars again, all sorts of bad things can happen. For people over 50, the risk of injury is 247 percent higher.
The study, conducted by researchers at Brown University, also showed that older riders get injured more severely, meaning broken bones or injured necks and heads. One-third required a stay in the hospital after their wreck.
Older riders may want to consider an advanced or experienced rider course. Terry's own coaches are required to do so, too.
"Because sometimes having someone pick out what your mistakes are is a very powerful tool," he said.
Ultimately, it's all about keeping those skills sharp and learning the right mental strategies for attentive driving.
"A professional athlete, if they don't practice, they become sloppy and they are not a professional anymore," Terry said. "Motorcycle riding skills we need to consider in the same token. Either you are practicing them all the time or you will be sloppy and be a danger to yourself and others."
Motorcycle sales are up, but people attending training courses are down. Those courses are not required for a license in Utah. Terry also said that it's good news motorcycle deaths are down, but that's due in part to better and faster medical care. Accidents and crashes are still high, and so are injuries.
Interested riders can hone their skills by sign up for Terry's course. You can click on utahmotorcycletraining.com or calling Terry at 801-957-5278.
