I am personal injury attorney Mike Lombardi. A motorcycle highway bar, a freeway bar, engine guard — they all equal crash bars. It goes by many names but what exactly is a crash bar and what is it used for?
What Is A Crash Bar
A crash bar is a safety device. A piece of metal mounted on the lower frame of a motorcycle. It can be made from chrome-plated stainless steel, aluminum or soft steel. Although the shapes can vary, they are usually bent in an oval or rectangular shape and stick out a few inches past the side of a motorcycle, behind the front tire and in front of the motor. Some riders use the bars to mount extra accessories on them like additional lighting or speakers. Crash bars are a little like airbags because they take the brunt of an impact in a motorcycle accident. When your bike goes down, it can prevent the motorcycle from falling totally onto its side protecting you and any passenger from being crushed. They afford a little more room between you and other traffic and pedestrians. In addition, they can protect the engine, the fuel tank and the bikes paint job.
Do Crash Bars Work?
Just how effective are crash bars in preventing injuries or reducing the seriousness of injuries? It depends on who you talk to. During a collision, they have been shown to limit damage to the rider and the bike at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. Although crash bars won’t prevent you from getting thrown from the bike, studies suggest they can help minimize ankle injuries and lower leg injuries. The jury is still out as to whether they can reduce injuries to the upper legs.
What The Research Says
In 1996, researchers at the Monash university accident research center said that too many crash bars were flimsy or poorly designed to protect a motorcyclist in an accident. In an earlier 1981 report, the Hurt Report concluded that even if they reduced ankle and foot injuries, they posed a greater threat of serious injury to the upper leg. Yet, another study conducted by the transport research laboratory in Great Britain in 1995 found that crash bars decreased the risk of leg injury by 25 percent; without further increasing injury to other parts of the body.
What Bikers Say
Bikers have mixed views on using crash bars; some swear by it, some say they sort of work and some say it’s too much stuff to put on a bike. When determining if crash bars are going to increase the safety of your ride, it’s going to be up to you the rider. Just remember the safest motorcycle ride is up to you, to stay alert, keep practicing and maintain your bike.
Unfortunately, accidents do happen even if you do everything right, if you’ve been in a motorcycle accident that wasn’t your fault, please give me a call or text me at Mike Lombardi Injury Attorney’s, so we can discuss your case. We want to help you in any way that we can.
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