Are Georgia's Black Motorcyclists More Likely to Be Killed in Accidents?
It’s a provocative question, but the answer may not be that complex. A new study indicates that black motorcyclists have a higher chance of being killed in an accident, compared to white motorcyclists.
The study indicates that African-American motorcyclists have a 50% higher chance of being killed in crashes than whites. These differences remained consistent even when the researchers accounted for individual factors, like the seriousness of the crash. What's worse, the study found that black motorcyclists who were not wearing helmets were more likely to be killed, compared to white motorcyclists who were not helmeted at the time of the accident.
What's causing this difference in fatality rates among black and white motorcyclists? The answer could lie in factors beyond the accident site. Researchers believe the difference could be because of lack of accessibility to trauma care facilities in low-income neighborhoods. Another possible explanation is that African-Americans have certain genetic conditions that could compromise their recovery after a serious injury. A third explanation is that African-American motorcyclists may prefer unsafe helmets, or stronger and faster motorbikes.
As a Peachtree City motorcycle accident lawyer, I found the results of this study very intriguing. Black motorcyclists actually have higher rates of helmet usage than white motorcyclists. So, it’s not as if encouraging helmet use among this section of the population would help narrow the gap. However, we could be focusing harder on providing more trauma care facilities in rural Georgia and lower income areas. Come November, and citizens will be able to vote to do just that.
