CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 5 MICHAEL ZANGHI
Joint Force Headquarters
New York Army National Guard
Rochester, New York
It was about 9:45 p.m. when the Soldier hopped on his motorcycle to go play volleyball at a local sports facility. After traveling a quarter mile at 45 mph (the posted speed was 55 mph) on an improved, multi-lane road, a deer entered his field of view from the right. In an attempt to avoid hitting the deer, he applied the brakes and turned toward it, hoping to pass behind the animal. His plan failed.
The deer stopped directly in his altered path and he struck it at 40 mph. The impact launched him Superman-style over the handlebars, and he impacted the road head and right shoulder first. The Soldier blacked out after hitting the pavement but recovered within moments. As he attempted to move his bike from the road, he realized he was hurt. With the assistance of witnesses, he moved his bike and called 911. The Soldier was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for a fractured right collarbone and released several hours later. His motorcycle received minor damage. The deer fled the scene.
I bet some of you are thinking, “Here’s another attempt to show the dangers of motorcycles.” Well, it isn’t. This is actually a success story. To see how, we must look back at a sound decision this Soldier made a few months before this incident.
Like many others returning from deployment, the Soldier bought a new motorcycle. His reasoning was no different than any other Soldier. What did differ, though, was his approach toward personal protective equipment (PPE). Sure, he could have saved a few hundred dollars by skimping on quality — or just skipped it all together — but he didn’t. In fact, he bought the best full-face helmet, padded leather gloves and a two-piece riding suit. The suit was designed with reinforced padding in the shoulder, elbow and knee areas. The only thing he didn’t invest in was heavyweight boots, but he did wear leather boots.
While the minimum required PPE provides suitable protection, the riding gear in this case provided even better defense. Although the Soldier’s high-quality helmet was ground down almost halfway through on the right side and had a 4-inch crack that penetrated the outer shell, it prevented him from sustaining a fractured skull. The right shoulder of his riding jacket was worn through the reinforced padding but remained intact at the innermost layer. Again, his only injuries were a momentary blackout and fractured collarbone. He did not receive the typical road rash normally associated with sliding and bouncing off the road surface.
To put it in other terms, imagine going into combat without the added protection of ballistic PPE. While the basic uniform does provide protection, additional equipment is worn in combat situations as the hazard levels increase. Why not apply the same concept to motorcycle riding? Properly fitted, high-performance PPE will not provide absolute protection, but it will reduce the severity of injuries.
Think of it this way: You spent a lot of money on your bike and accessories for looks and/or performance. Why not also invest in good-looking, high-performance PPE? After all, it’s that PPE that just might determine how long it takes you to recover if you are ever involved in an accident. This Soldier’s PPE passed the test and, hopefully, yours will too. The extra cash he paid upfront paid big dividends in the end.