There’s nothing scarier than taking a serious spill on your motorbike. Injuries, panic and chaos can take over. Here are five things you need to keep in mind at the scene of a motorbike accident.
Turn your bike off
As soon as you can after you fall or crash, turn the ignition off to prevent electrics from sparking a fire if fuel is leaking. If you’re stuck under a wheel or motor, you’ll deal yourself a more serious injury if you accidentally twist the throttle. When you’ve fallen, it’s important to stay calm and turn that key.
Check yourself for injury
Try to remain relatively still and do an all over your body check for pain and bleeding. Some injuries are obvious, but others are more subtle. Wiggle your fingers and toes and pat your chest to check for broken ribs. If you experience severe pain in your neck and back, don’t move. Adrenaline is a crazy thing and can mask pain, so be careful even if you can’t feel any obvious injuries.
If you are stuck, don’t try to leave until the paramedics arrive
Action movies are right, if you’re stuck and bleeding, don’t try to remove the object until paramedics arrive. Trying to release your leg from a heavy motorcycle might cause bleeding to intensify, so if it’s safe, stay where you are and if possible – call 000.
If you are safe, check others for injury
Once you’ve checked yourself over and are certain that you’ve come out unscathed, check on any other people involved in the crash. The quicker you act on their injuries, the less likely they are to suffer permanent damage. Call 000 if you are unsure of the extent of any injuries, including your own.
Get people’s details
After you’re certain that everyone is safe or is being treated for injury, it’s time to think about your motorcycle insurance. Talk to witnesses about the events that transpired, and ensure you gather their contact details. Chat to other people involved with the crash and get their insurance details for the claim. These days with our mobile phones out with us on rides, it’s easy to take photos of the crash scene – so make the most of this and take as many shots as you can. And if the other driver refuses to give you their details, take a photo of their licence plate.