• Study confirms that passengers are more prone to injury.

• It’s the rider’s responsibility to ensure the passenger is fully geared up.

• At least a good helmet is necessary.

Remember that video which went viral? Most riders already knew that it’s the passenger who usually comes out the worse in the event of an accident.

Unfortunately, we still see many riders who don’t equip their passengers adequately when riding. The rider may be cladded in armoured jacket and pants, a good helmet, gloves and boots, but the passenger looks like he or she just got back from the beach, and wearing a helmet seemingly made when Allahyarham Tun Hussein Onn was Prime Minister.

Hope this research changes your mind.

Published in Reuters Health, it is confirmed by researchers that passengers are likely to suffer more traumatic injuries compared to riders.

Even with helmets on, 36 percent of the passengers suffered traumatic brain injury, compared to 31 percent among riders.

Dr. Tyler Evans of the Indiana University School of Medicine said, “We believe that in certain accidents, the passenger is more likely to be ejected from the motorcycle.” This is the likely scenario why passengers face a higher risk of brain injury, he added.

You can read the source of the report here.

While riders face lower risks since they could hold on to the handlebar and fuel tank, and protected by the windscreen in some cases, passengers don’t have such luxury since they have little to hold onto. This is especially advantageous for the riders since they know what’s happening and could brace themselves.

In Malaysia, there were 39,744 deaths resulting from motorcycle accidents between 2005 to 2014.

The knowledge gained from this study means that the rider should always provide the best helmet and riding gear he or she could afford for the passenger. Come to think of it, the passenger should be better equipped than the rider!