A common acronym in the motorcycle world, All The Gear, All The Time (ATGATT) is used as a warning to motorcycle riders—use your gear or pay the price.
Brittany Morrow, the so-called “Road Rash Girl,” learned this lesson the hard way. After being thrown from the back of a motorcycle, she tumbled 552 feet down the highway. Wearing only a helmet, capri jeans, tennis shoes and a sweatshirt, her body was ripped apart as she slid across the asphalt.
“When I hit the ground, it was as if every breath I had ever taken rushed out of me in an instant. I could feel every inch of my body hitting the road; tumbling, sliding and grinding into the unforgiving surface,” stated Brittany. “I never lost consciousness, but I remember wishing that I had.”
Remarkably, the only internal injuries Brittany suffered were a broken toe and damaged pinky. But the wounds on the outside of her body were another story.
“I Wanted to Die”
In the helicopter on the way to the hospital the pain was so bad that Brittney wanted to stop fighting to stay awake—to give into the pain and pass away. She credits those around her with keeping her awake, giving her the will to fight.
The road had ravished her body. She had lost her left breast and had full thickness road burns from her shoulder down to her feet.
Brittany spent two months in the hospital undergoing multiple skin graft surgeries and working with a physical therapist. As her thighs were the only portion of her body not affected by the road rash, doctors harvested skin from them, adding to her pain.
After months of excruciating medical procedures, Brittany was allowed to leave the hospital. At home again, she began the slow and painful healing process. Her scars were massive, and will never leave her.
Brittany now speaks out about wearing the right gear, hoping that her experiences will help save another rider from enduring the hell she went through.
“I would never wish the pain I felt and still feel today upon anyone in the world,” said Brittany. “It is completely avoidable with a few extra layers, and I can’t say it enough: it is undeniably worth it to gear up. Everything I have gone through this past year will not be in vain if my testimony is enough to save someone’s skin.”
Our Bucks County motorcycle accident attorneys would like to thank Ms. Morrow for telling her story. We hope that sharing it will help others save their skin, maybe even their lives.
