First response at a rural bicycle crash on a blind bend
You are riding on a rural road at 80 km/h when you come around a bend and see a crashed bicycle and a middle-aged man lying on the verge. A car is stopped halfway on the road with its hazard lights off; the driver is standing over the cyclist, shouting. The cyclist is conscious but confused, with a bleeding scalp and a deformed left forearm; he is not wearing a helmet. The road is a blind right-hand bend with a 90 km/h limit, and traffic is passing. You have a first-aid kit, phone and hi-vis vest. It is 17:30 and dry. Your motorcycle is blocking part of the lane. You are alone; no ambulance is in sight. The driver says he has called for help, but you cannot hear a siren.
1. What are your first actions to protect the scene and call for help?
Read the worked answer
First protect the scene: switch on your hazard lights, put on the vest, move your bike fully onto the verge if you can do so safely, and place a warning triangle about 100 m back on a rural 90 km/h road - or ask another driver. Do not stand in the lane. Call 112, state the location, number of casualties and that the cyclist is confused. The shouting driver is another hazard; ask him to move his car and help with warnings, but do not let him move the casualty.
2. How do you manage the bleeding, the head injury and the deformed forearm?
Read the worked answer
The cyclist is conscious but confused, which suggests head injury. Do not move him unless there is immediate danger. Control the scalp bleeding with direct pressure using a sterile pad or clean cloth; do not press on a deformed skull. Check breathing and responsiveness repeatedly. The deformed forearm should be supported, not straightened. Keep him warm, do not give food or drink, and stay with him. If he becomes unresponsive but breathes, place him in the recovery position only if you can do so without worsening the arm; if he is not breathing, start CPR.
3. What legal duties apply, and what should you hand over to the ambulance crew?
Read the worked answer
You have a legal duty to stop, assist and exchange details; failing to do so can bring serious penalties. Give the emergency operator clear information and hand over to the ambulance crew: time of the crash, the cyclist's confusion, the bleeding, the arm injury and any changes in breathing. Do not discuss blame or alcohol at the scene; keep the driver's details and witness contacts. Your motorcycle should not obstruct the ambulance. Afterwards, report the incident to your insurer and, if required, the police, and restock the first-aid kit.