First aid resources for injured motorcyclists published

A series of first aid resources have been developed by road safety charity Brake, British Red Cross and motorcycle insurance specialists Devitt Insurance Services.

Rider First Aid gives basic advice on what to do when first on the scene of a crash involving a motorcycle.

The advice coincides with UK Road Safety Week (19–25 November), which this year focuses on the theme ‘Bike Smart’.

New analysis from Brake reveals that 5,941 motorcyclists were killed or seriously injured on British roads in 2017 – the equivalent of 16 riders every day. Motorcyclist deaths rose by 9% last year, the highest increase of any road user group; 349 riders were killed in 2017, compared with 319 in 2016. Motorcyclists also make up the largest proportion of road crash admissions to trauma centres [2].

A new survey of more than 3,000 motorcyclists shows that 73 per cent of riders have taken first aid training, with four in five (80%) of them now feeling confident to respond at the scene of a crash. Research by British Red Cross reveals that just one in 20 (5%) UK adults would have the skills and confidence to act in a first aid emergency, showing motorcyclists are leading the way in learning simple, yet vital first aid skills.

The Rider First Aid toolkit is aimed at riders but gives useful advice for anyone who could be first on the scene of a crash. It includes free posters and postcards, and an interactive quiz to help test first aid knowledge. The advice focuses on four key areas of first aid, reflecting the most common injuries sustained by motorcycle riders: broken limbs, heavy bleeding, unresponsive and breathing, and unresponsive and not breathing. The posters show riders helping one another, with the question “Would you know how to help an injured rider if you were first on scene?”. They give simple tips on how anyone can help while waiting for medical professionals to arrive.

The posters and postcards have gone on display at Motorcycle Live (17–25 November) on Stand 3B16 at the NEC in Birmingham. A limited number are also available for free from www.devittinsurance.com/rider-first-aid.