Injured Motorcycle Riders
A MOTORCYCLIST GOES DOWN – DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO?
There’s been a motorcycle accident! What can YOU do?
You can help make the most of the “Golden Hour” – the precious time between the accident and the emergency room.
Remain calm and think. Remember your ABC’s:
- Airway: Make sure the patient has an open airway
- Breathing: Look, listen and feel to see if the injured biker is breathing. If not, give 2 slow full breaths into his or her mouth
- Circulation: Check for pulse in neck. If no pulse, start CPR
Assess the situation for safety factors. What is the traffic situation? Is the accident site secure? Is there a hazardous material spill, or gas leaking from the bike? Are power lines down? Is there a fire danger?
Form a safety line around the downed rider. Introduce yourself. Delegate someone to call an ambulance, preferably a woman (in case they need to go knocking on doors for help). Make sure they have as many facts as possible, including the exact location of the accident, how many people are injured and how seriously. The person calling the ambulance should hang up last.
Do not move the patient. DO NOT remove the helmet. Improperly removing the helmet can cause spinal chord injury, paralysis or even death (you can get a free helmet sticker that says: “WARNING - Do Not Remove Helmet Until I am Examined By A Doctor” by calling Aid to Injured Motorcyclists (A.I.M.) at 1-(800) - ON-A-BIKE. If necessary, it is possible to give CPR without removing the helmet, even if it is a full face helmet (A.I.M. also has a free “Survival Card” that instruct how to property remove a helmet from an accident victim if it is absolutely necessary).
Turn off the key to the motorcycle and shut off the gas.
Keep the patient talking. Ask questions; who are you, where are you, what day is it? Have someone write down all the details: vital signs, pulse, breathing. When the ambulance arrives, give them the notes and an honest evaluation of the patient’s condition, including drug or alcohol consumption. Ask emergency personnel what you can do for them.
Talk with police when they arrive. Make their job easier by cooperating. Even after police and emergency personal have secured the site, you can continue to help the downed motorcyclist by photographing the accident scene, jotting down notes about the accident while they’re still fresh in your mind, and make sure police get the names and addressees for all witnesses for the police report.
We have to take care of each other out there. Take a CPR course or, even better, a First-Aid class. Be prepared to take charge if someone goes down. It's better to know what to do and never have to use it than to waste your fellow riders Golden Hour because you think that accidents only happen to other people.
If you or someone you love has been involved in a motorcycle accident or other serious accident in Southern California, contact Joey Lester at the Law Offices of Richard M. Lester immediately to set you on the road to recovery. Contact Southern California Personal Injury Accident Attorney Joey Lester via telephone toll free at 1-800-ON-A-BIKE (800-235-2454) or via email using the contact form in the right column above.
