Bike Accidents and Scene Safety
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The problem with cycle accidents is that apart from the rider usually wearing a helmet to protect the head and sometimes thin gloves there is very little to protect the rider. Cycle accidents can involve one or with cycle races, many riders. Also when cycling on roads, pedestrians, animals, vehicles and the road surface can pose additional risks and injury.
When approaching an accident involving cycles, you need to approach carefully and be aware of other riders and vehicles that could injure you or the patient. If the accident is part of a cycle race the rider may be keen to restart, even with an injury.
You first need to assess the safety and you may need to move the bike off the rider but make sure they are not caught in the frame.
Put in gloves as there is likely to be blood from grazes or more serious injuries.
Leave the helmet on as there is no real advantage to taking it off as even with rescue breaths.
Talk to the rider to see what is wrong and treat as required. There could be at a number of different types of injury from fractures to cuts but don't forget the accident could be caused by an illness or exhaustion. Start your check at the head and work down the body talking to the person the whole time to assess what's wrong. If you suspect a spinal injury, do not move them. Check the whole body and make sure their breathing is ok and they can breathe without discomfort to rule out injuries to the ribs, lungs and collapsed lung. Gently push the stomach to rule out rare liver or spleen injuries.
There may be extreme times where it's necessary to quickly move a cyclist from a danger that you cannot control. If you have to do this take extreme care and move the patient to safety.
One common thing you will see are grazes to the skin. Grazes often look worse than they are. Wash dirt off carefully and it's usually best left uncovered so that scab forms. You can use cream and non-adhesive gauze or bandage but this is best removed as soon as possible to allow to heal.
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