First on Scene at a Motorcycle Collision
You are riding on a rural two-lane road at about 60 km/h when a motorcycle ahead loses control on a bend and hits a stone wall. You stop about 20 m before the scene. The rider is lying on his back, unconscious, making snoring noises, with blood around his mouth; his helmet is still on. A second rider is sitting on the verge, conscious, holding a bleeding right forearm. The road is narrow, with a blind bend, and traffic is approaching from both directions. Your mobile phone has signal. You have a basic first-aid kit and no training beyond a one-day course. The injured rider's motorcycle is lying in the middle of the road, and its engine is still running.
1. What are your first three actions on arriving at the scene?
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First, protect the scene. Park your motorcycle before the collision with hazard lights on, well back from the blind bend, and warn approaching traffic by waving or using a torch if you have one. Do not stand in the live lane. If it is safe, switch off the fallen motorcycle's engine, but do not move it unless it is causing an immediate danger.
Second, call 999. Give the location, the number of casualties, the fact that one rider is unconscious and not breathing normally, and any hazards such as the blind bend and leaking fuel. Third, assess the casualties without moving them. Check the unconscious rider for responsiveness and breathing, and check the second rider's bleeding. Do not give the unconscious rider food or drink. Keep your own safety as the priority, because an injured rescuer cannot help anyone.
2. How should you manage the unconscious rider's airway and helmet?
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The snoring noise suggests the airway is partly obstructed, often by the tongue or blood. Leave the helmet on unless it is preventing you from opening the airway or giving rescue breaths. Kneel at the rider's head, keep the head and neck in line, and use a jaw thrust or chin lift to open the airway. Look, listen, and feel for normal breathing for up to 10 seconds. If he is breathing, monitor continuously and be ready to turn him if he vomits.
If he is not breathing normally, start CPR and call for an AED. Remove the helmet only if it blocks the airway or CPR, and ideally with a second trained person supporting the head and neck. Do not twist the neck. Do not put anything in his mouth. The blood around the mouth means you should use gloves or a barrier if available.
3. How do you control the second rider's bleeding and keep the scene safe?
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Put on gloves if available and apply direct pressure to the forearm wound with a sterile dressing or the cleanest cloth you have. Press firmly and steadily, and elevate the arm if you do not suspect a fracture. If blood soaks through, add another dressing on top rather than removing the first. Keep the rider sitting or lying down, keep him warm, and watch for signs of shock such as pale skin, sweating, or confusion. Do not let him walk into the road.
For scene safety, ask bystanders to warn traffic from both directions and keep the fallen bike's engine off. Do not smoke or allow anyone to smoke near leaking fuel. Stay with the casualties until the ambulance arrives, and give the paramedics a clear handover: what happened, how long ago, whether the unconscious rider has been breathing, and what bleeding control you applied.