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It's an old and morbid joke, especially suited to a hospital emergency room. What do you call a motorcyclist speeding past you on the highway? An organ donor.
Of course, that's not funny. But in its sad, dark humor, there seems to be a kernel of truth. JAMA Internal Medicine This suggests that large motorcycle rallies may slightly increase organ donations.
Why did researchers decide to study this?
Strong evidence is that Bikes are dangerous It is more dangerous than other modes of transportation, especially when drivers are reckless, not wearing helmets, or under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
However, the number of motorcycles registered in the United States in the past 20 years Doubled from 4.3 million to 8.6 millionMotorcycle rallies are also popular, with more than 500,000 people attending the world's largest motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, in 2022. This is actually about 200,000 fewer people than some years have attended.
The researchers wondered whether having so many people on bikes in one place might lead to more fatal accidents and, in turn, a temporary increase in organ donation rates.
Their study cast a wider net than the Sturgis Rally: Focusing on towns and cities that hosted major motorcycle rallies in the U.S. between 2005 and 2021, the researchers tallied. Fatal car accidents leading to organ donation and transplantsThe researchers then compared infection rates in these areas with those four weeks before and four weeks after the gatherings, and also looked at infection rates in areas where no gatherings took place.
What did the study find?
On average, an organ donor can provide three to four organs for transplant, such as a kidney, liver, and heart, so choosing to become an organ donor can change the lives of many people.
When researchers analyzed nearly 11,000 organ donations following car accidents following seven major motorcycle rallies, they found that:
- Most organ donors were young (mean age 32 years) and male (71%).
- On average, on days when there was a motorcycle rally, there was a 21% increase in organ donors and a 26% increase in organ recipients compared to days when there was no rally in the same area, or to neighboring areas where there was no rally. While these sound like big numbers, in reality, there was only one more organ donor between the two major motorcycle rallies.
- There was no increase in donor deaths from causes other than motor vehicle accidents during the rally.
The findings raise new questions
The study suggests that there may be more accidents and organ donations on days when large bike rallies are held. But there's a lot we still don't know to look at the results from a different perspective. For example:
- Did the fatal accidents occur primarily on major roads, minor roads, or off-road?
- Was there any connection between the fatal accident and the motorcycle passenger or the specific vehicle (motorcycle only or motorcycle and truck)?
- How do motorcycle rallies affect injury and mortality rates? This study only considered deaths following motor vehicle accidents that led to organ donation, so it may underestimate the overall impact. It did not include non-fatal accidents or fatal accidents that did not lead to organ donation.
- Are the number of fatal accidents during motorcycle rallies higher than would be expected given the dramatic increase in crowds and traffic?
The answers to these questions could help rally organizers improve the safety of their events.
Conclusion
In my view, this remarkable study contains several important messages.
First, motorcycle rallies are associated with an increase in motor vehicle fatalities. Recognizing this, rally organizers, local leaders, and health care providers should act to improve safety and prepare for increased crash injuries. At the very least, rally participants should be encouraged to wear helmets and to refrain from reckless driving or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Additionally, the study suggests that motorcycle rally organizers should incorporate organ donor registration programs into these events, which could increase the number of organs available to people in need of transplants at a time when there is a critical organ shortage. It could also encourage people to ride motorcycles more safely.
