As much as we do our best to avoid them, traffic accidents do happen from time to time. And when it comes to serious injury or fatality, bikers are considerably more exposed than most other vehicle users – not having the luxury of crumple zones to help protect them.
If you were to ever have a motorbike-related accident, whether you’re a biker yourself or otherwise, here are some pointers as to how to handle the situation:
Stay calm
Emotions tend to run high after an accident, but it’s important to stay calm as far as you can. Getting angry or starting an argument won’t ever help the situation, and can potentially alienate witnesses. This isn’t helped by the fact that – as wrong as it may be – others at the scene may have preconceived ideas about people based on the vehicles they use. Not losing your temper and staying in control will also have a calming effect on those around you.
Get witnesses
Determine if there are any witnesses. Unfortunately, people often leave the scene as they don't wish to get involved. But try as far as possible to get any witnesses to remain – they may prove very useful.
Make the scene safe
Turn off engines and switch on hazard lights. Try as far as possible to warn oncoming traffic of the incident. If any cars or vans are involved, use their reflective triangles. Bystanders may also be able to help you alert approaching traffic and get them to slow down.
Stay put
You could be committing an offence if you leave the scene of a crash you’re involved in before fulfilling certain obligations:
Your obligations
If the situation has created a hazard for other people or traffic, or if someone’s injured, then you should call the police (traditionally 999, but more likely 112 from a mobile) without hesitation. You should also call if another party involved has left the scene without exchanging details. If you’re in doubt as to whether you should call, then it’s best to do so – then the police can make the judgement as to whether the scene needs their attention.
Exchange details
Those involved in the accident have to exchange details. It's a legal requirement to get certain details, but gathering as many pertinent details as possible is likely to prove helpful in the event of a claim. Get others to give you their name, address, contact details, and any insurance details if they have them to hand. If they don’t, at very least get the name of their insurers. Also take a note of the make, model, registration and colour of all the vehicles involved. If one of the drivers involved doesn't own the vehicle they're driving (for example if it's a company car, or it belongs to a relative) then get the name and the address of the owner if you can.
If somebody involved in the accident refuses to give you their basic statutory details, then it's best to call the police.
Make further notes
Try to document the scene as far as is practical. This will be far more reliable when it comes to an insurance claim than relying on memory at a later date.
It’s worth getting the names, addresses and vehicle registrations of any witnesses.
Most people have cameras on their phones, so it’s now much easier to document the scene of an accident. Take plenty of snaps of the vehicles and important features of the scene. Try to get a street name, junction sign or distinctive landmark into one of the shots, so that the location is easily identifiable.
If the state of the road was a factor in the accident, for example if it caused the bike to skid, be sure to take photos of its surface condition. It’s worth taking a gravel sample as well in such cases.
If you’ve observed any other things which you think may have been a factor in the incident, make a note of them too. For example, if the weather may have played a part, or if another motorist was on the phone or otherwise distracted.
In cases of injury
If a biker is injured at the scene, the golden rule is never take off his or her helmet - it is dangerous to remove it as you will not know if they have sustained head injuries. You should leave it on unless the rider has stopped breathing or gone into cardiac arrest. In this case, you should remove the helmet carefully and perform normal CPR, as this overrides any concerns relating to head or spinal injuries.
If you find yourself in a bike-related accident involving an injured party – as with all first aid – it’s crucial to assess the situation for danger before doing anything else. If you are going to put yourself at risk by tending to the injured, then don’t. Ensure the police have been called.
If you’re satisfied that you’re not putting yourself in danger too, then check the injured for response. This could be something as simple as asking them if they’re ok. If they’re responding normally, talk to them calmly and reassure them until the emergency services arrive.
If the injured is unconscious, then you should ensure that their Airway is clear, that they are Breathing, and then check their Circulation. To find out how to do this, and what to do if you discover any problems, read the Life Saving Procedures page on the St John Ambulance website. This information could well prove invaluable. If the injured needs resuscitation but their mouth is blocked by their helmet, it may be necessary to perform mouth to nose, so it’s worth learning how to do that too.
Your motorbike insurance
Read our article concerning keeping premiums down after a motorbike accident.
Prevention is better than cure
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA) has a really useful guide which tells you how you can avoid the five most common motorbike accidents. Download their Ride Safe guide here (PDF file, 184K).
