A Minnesota Rider’s Close Call And The Importance Of Safety

This time of year, you won’t have to look hard to find someone enjoying the warm weather on their motorcycle. For those that are native to Minnesota, seeing people not wearing helmets when they ride is normal. For me, being from North Carolina, it has taken some getting used to seeing folks riding without protective headgear on. 

It's not a law that you have to wear a helmet here, but it’s also not illegal if you choose to. Many in the law enforcement and emergency services fields around the state would likely encourage riders to take as many precautions as they can when they ride. 

That was put on full display this week when the Minnesota Department of Public Safety shared the story of Lisa. Lisa had been riding for years, and she understood the dangers of riding. 

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What was an enjoyable night out to dinner with her husband turned into a scary event that could have been the last ride that Lisa ever took.  

While riding on 35W, Lisa came up quickly on a pothole in the road. She tried to navigate the hole as she had been taught to do, but traveling around sixty miles per hour, Lisa ended up tumbling across the interstate after going over the handlebars of her bike.  

Lisa recalled she was only wearing her leather jacket because her husband encouraged her too, even though it was very hot outside. The protective jacket and pants she was wearing helped save her body from permanent damage, and even though she was wearing her helmet, she still sustained serious injuries, but was able to leave the hospital the next day.  

Check out the video from the Department of Public Safety of Lisa’s accident. (Warning this may difficult for some to watch)

A Google search of how many motorcycle accidents there were in Minnesota last year, the return gave a statistic from Sieben Polk Law Firm that says there were 1,137 accidents in 2024 involving motorcycles.  

I respect the fact that riders have the choice to wear a helmet or not, but after reading this and seeing the video, does this make you stop and think about how quickly something can go wrong?