“The number of motorcycle collision patients we’ve cared for this year is already two and a half times what we saw in all of 2012,” says Jami Blackwell, CoxHealth Trauma Services coordinator. “The number of people injured in bicycle and ATV collisions is up as well. Many of these injuries could be prevented if simple safety steps were followed.”
Blackwell attributes the increase to a number of factors, including the nice weather. “Once the temperatures warm up, more people get out to enjoy the weather. But unfortunately, they also sometimes engage in risky behaviors that increase their chances of being hurt, or hurting someone else,” she says.
According to Blackwell, wearing a properly fitted helmet designed for bicycle riding, or ATV or motorcycle riding, is the easiest and most important thing you can do. Other safety tips include:
· Be aware of your surroundings.
· Avoid distractions, including cell phones.
· Don’t use alcohol before riding.
· Bicycles and motorcycles should obey all traffic laws and signals.
· Motorists should be aware of their surroundings as well, and should watch for bicycle and motorcycle riders.
· ATV riders should never use public roadways, should never carry passengers, and should never allow children under 16 to operate an ATV.
· For everyone, excessive speed and stunts should be avoided.
To learn more safety tips visit the safety and injury prevention section of coxhealth.com, http://www.coxhealth.com/body.cfm?id=4259.
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