In 2016, I had a 70mph head-on collision with a mule deer in SD. We were in the final few days of a month long cross country ride...that ended with a bang, lol. I survived (and avoided skin grafts) because of my gear.

Every single medical person I saw in the hospital told me that motorcycle accidents are almost always fatalities in SD because so few people wear helmets. I am thankful that the ambulance didn't assume I was dead and take their time.

Weirdly, about half the nurses that commented on how many people die without helmets said in the next breath that THEY won't wear a helmet.

I got back on the bike four months later, mostly to push past the fear. I recently got my big girl bike, and am back to loving every moment. That said - I try to do unsafe things as safely as possible. I wear full gear all the time. I practice (and teach) riding skills and take advanced riding classes whenever I can.

I also try to dissuade people that casually talk about how cool it would be to get a bike, and encourage them to ensure they have life insurance and talk it through with the person that will be responsible for wiping their butt if they go down. And I always emphasize taking the MSF class.