Minor spill on a group ride in the Ardennes
You are leading a group of four riders on a damp, leaf-covered descent in the Ardennes. The road has a 70 km/h limit and a series of tightening bends. The second rider, a friend on a 400 cc bike, misjudges a bend, brakes mid-corner and slides. He is conscious but dazed, complaining of pain in his right wrist and hip. His helmet is scuffed but intact, and his jacket and gloves held up. He is lying partly in the lane on a blind bend. One rider has already stopped beyond the bend; two more are behind. You have a first-aid kit, a space blanket, a phone with patchy signal, and a warning triangle.
1. What are your first priorities in the first 60 seconds?
Read the worked answer
Make the scene safe before treating. Send one rider back up the road, in hi-vis, to warn approaching traffic with the triangle or by waving, standing where they can be seen but not in the lane. Move the fallen rider only if there is immediate danger from traffic; otherwise keep him still, especially given the hip pain and possible spinal risk. Switch off his engine if it is running and watch for fuel.
Do not remove his helmet unless his airway is obstructed and you have no other choice. Keep him warm with the blanket, talk to him calmly, and check responsiveness. Call the emergency services; if signal is patchy, send someone to a point with signal or use the emergency call function. Note the time.
2. How do you assess and monitor him while waiting for help?
Read the worked answer
Check airway, breathing and circulation. Ask simple questions to gauge awareness and watch for worsening drowsiness, confusion, vomiting or unequal pupils, which suggest head injury. Do not give food or drink. Support the injured wrist and hip in the position found; do not try to straighten limbs. Keep him still and warm, and keep talking to him. Record changes in consciousness and the time of the fall for the responders.
If he becomes unresponsive but is breathing, place him in the recovery position only if you can do so without worsening suspected spinal injury, and monitor breathing continuously. If breathing stops, start CPR and send for an AED.
3. What should the other riders do, and what happens after the emergency services arrive?
Read the worked answer
The other riders should not crowd the casualty. One directs traffic, one calls for help or fetches an AED if nearby, and the others keep their bikes and themselves clear of the lane. Nobody should ride on until the scene is under control.
Afterwards: exchange details with any third party, note the location and time, take photos, and record witness contacts. Inform your insurer. If the bike is unrideable, arrange recovery. The injured rider should be checked by a doctor even if he feels better, because head and hip injuries can worsen. Review what happened on the descent: damp leaves, mid-corner braking and group spacing are all lessons for the next ride.