Biker down
How to help if you are at the scene of a motorcycle accident
If you were the first person at the scene of an accident involving a motorcycle, what would you do? Would you know how to check if the area is safe or who is most at risk? Would you know whether you should remove the biker's helmet or not?
The first few moments after an accident can be crucial. Not only can you actively minimize potential injuries but you could save a life. The problem lies in that many of us, when confronted with such situations, wouldn't know what to do.
Of course the experts will eventually arrive at the scene of the accident and take over, but before this happens, you have the ability to make a dramatic impact on the outcome. Biker Down, a free training program developed by the Kent Fire and Rescue Fire Bike Team, is designed to give you all the information needed should you find yourself at the scene of a motorcycle accident.
By bikers, for bikers
Bikers often ride in groups or pairs and it is usually the case that when one is involved in an accident the first person on the scene will be a fellow biker. With this in mind, Biker Down tailors its training program to be targeted at motorcycle users. The experts teaching the course are also bikers and they have extensive knowledge of how to deal with motorcycle specific accidents.
The training program uses the expertise of the Emergency Services and HSE qualified First Aid Trainers and covers the possibilities of injuries suffered by motorcyclists and the issues surrounding helmet removal.
The Biker Down workshops last approximately three hours and are broken down into three modules:
Incident Scene Management
The first course of action after an accident is to risk assess the scene and this part of the workshop focuses on doing just that. Taught by a member of the Fire Bike Team, you will learn the best way to manage the scene of an incident while taking into account both your own safety and the safety of others who are present at the time.
Casualty Care
Once the scene of the accident has been risk assessed, First Aid care can begin. This module is taught by a qualified HSE First Aid Trainer who will teach the class how to assess the casualty and provide basic life support and CRP. A motorcycle First Aid specific course, it provides expert advice on trauma and mechanism of injury, the ins and outs of snatch rescues, and when and how to safely remove a motorcyclist's helmet.
The science of being seen
Knowing how to manage the scene of an accident involving a motorcycle and how to provide appropriate care are extremely valuable skills should you find yourself in such a situation . But as the workshop is "by bikers, for bikers", it also covers the the question of how to avoid being the victim of an accident. Delivered by a member of the Sussex Police Forensic Crash Investigation Reconstruction Unit, this module gives an overview of why motorcyclists often succumb to the SMIDSY (Sorry Mate, I didn't See You) scenario and offers an insight into the art of being seen. Using their experience from investigating serious and fatal motorcycle crashes, the speaker explores the benefits of conspicuity clothing and Hi-Vis aids.
What else can you do?
The Biker Down course is just one of many courses available for those who wish to develop their safety skills. Check out the links provided below for some other programs:
Skills for Life: Institute of Advanced Motorists
Bike Safe
Enchanced Rider Scheme
Biker Down is a radically different approach to helping lower the number of motorcyclists killed and seriously injured on the roads. This is the first time that the training and experience of bikers from the Emergency Services has been used in this way in Sussex.
To find out more information regarding the Biker Down workshops, please contact the team ! - See more at:
Sussex Safe Roads.gov.uk
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