Many Ohio residents over the age of 60 look forward to enjoying hobbies during their retirement years. Individuals within this age demographic often have the free time to devote as well as more expendable income. One activity that many individuals over the age of 60 take up is motorcycling. While riding a motorcycle can be an excellent way to explore our great state, it may also lead to an increase in accidents and injuries for those over the age of 60.

A report recently published in the journal Injury Prevention, details that motorcycle drivers over the age of 60 are three times more likely to be hospitalized for injuries sustained in motorcycle accidents than younger individuals. For the report, researchers reviewed admission information from 100 U.S. hospitals over the course of a seven-year timeframe.

Researchers uncovered that motorcyclists over the age of 60 are not only more likely to sustain injuries related to motorcycle accidents, but those injuries were also more likely to be serious in nature. Injuries commonly suffered by motorcyclists over the age of 60 included those to the chest and rib cage. In comparison, younger motorcyclists tended to sustain less serious injuries to their hands, arms and shoulders.

When accounting for the differences in both the nature and severity of injuries, researchers determined age, reaction time and the model of motorcycle all played a role. Many individuals over the age of 60 are able to afford bigger motorcycles that are heavier. As such, when involved in an accident, injuries sustained if a motorcycle falls on a driver are more apt to be serious. Additionally, researchers point to decreased bone density and delayed reaction time as factors that contribute to more and more serious injuries amongst older motorcyclists.

Source: BBC, "Older motorcyclists 'more likely to be injured'", Anna-Marie Lever, Feb. 6, 2013