May is Motorcycle Awareness Month in Kentucky. I see the sign on the mornings when I take I-71 to the office in Louisville. It is flashing for all to see. It is summer and all drivers should be aware of more motorcycles and bicycles that are on the road. This advice applies to the riders as well. I have seen some horrible injuries that are the result of motorcycle accidents. I have seen legs that have been damaged for life. I have seen helmets that have saved a life when the rider of a motorcycle comes through the windshield of a car. The resulting injuries are usually severe and life changing for all involved.

Since it is Motorcycle Awareness Month and because I represent those injured in motorcycle accident I was pondering the dangerous nature of riding a motorcycle. I was also thinking about the fun and the adrenaline rush that must go along with it. This got me thinking as to whether there was any way to make the riding of a motorcycle safer without taking away the feeling of freedom. My mind initially went to motorcycle awareness campaigns. I have no doubt that they do save lives, but this does not make the bike safer in and of itself. Then I came across a The Ohio Motorcycle Lawyers Blog where attorneys Boyk, Bruna and Emch talked about a product called the Impact Jacket. I thought this is a great idea. This is basically a motorcycle airbag system. A jacket is worn by the rider that is attached to the motorcycle by a lanyard and an anchoring cable, I assume by a cord similar to a treadmill or Jet Ski. If the rider is ejected from the bike the cord triggers a CO2 canister that inflates the jacket in a mere .05 seconds. The inflated jacket is supposed to lesson the severity of any impact with the road or a car.

This appears to be a great safety device or is it just a gimmick? I think the Impact Jacket should help protect the rider while letting one enjoy the freedom and exhilaration that riding a motorcycle gives.Let’s have a safe Motorcycle Awareness Month.