A growing number of baby boomers and seniors are taking to the open road on motorcycles these days, and the evidence is showing up in emergency rooms.
In a study of more than 61,000 motorcyclists between the ages of 17 and 89, researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center found that road warriors age 40 and older were nearly twice as likely to die from injuries received in a motorcycle accident than younger riders.
The study revealed several interesting trends for motorcyclists between 1996 and 2005. During those 10 years:
- The average age of motorcyclists involved in crashes increased to about 39 from 34
- The percentage of injured motorcyclists age 40 and older rose to about 50 percent from 28 percent
- The fastest growing age group of injured riders were those between 50 and 59
- Injured motorcyclists over 40 experienced more severe injuries, longer stays in hospitals and intensive care units, and higher death rates than riders under 40.
"We made the clinical observation that older patients -- people in their 50s, 60s and even 70s -- were being injured on motorcycles with increasing frequency," Mark Gestring, director of the trauma program at the University of Rochester Medical Center, said in a statement. "We wanted to see if this observation was true on a national level and we found that it was."
If you're thinking of taking up the fine art of two-wheeling, enroll in a certified motorcycle skills and safety course (check the Motorcycle Safety Foundation website for a course near you), wear a helmet, and take it easy when you're on the road.
Photo by Getty Images
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