This just in: Seniors are more fragile than young people. Citing
a study by Brown University, the medical journal Injury
Prevention reports motorcycle crash victims age 60 and over are
2 1/2 times more likely to suffer severe injuries than were
riders in their 20s and 30s. Overall, the study found that older
motorcycle bikers have a 35% hospitalization rate, while middle-
aged riders have a rate of 25%. Young riders are hospitalized in
15% of motorcycle accidents. The study also found middle-aged
riders are 66% more likely to sustain serious injury than
younger bikers. Younger riders typically suffer non-life
threatening injuries like limb breakage, contusions, abrasions,
and sprains, while older adults are more likely to suffer severe
injuries to the brain and other internal organs. Unsurprisingly,
the study blamed its findings on one clear factor: age. “The
greater severity of injuries among older adults may be due to
the physiological changes that occur as the body ages,” the
study reads. “Bone strength dec