Bikes are fun but take care
Brilly Ant loves nothing more than cutting loose at the weekends on his bike – he’s much more at home on two wheels than four (that’s the four wheels of his office chair, mind you).
However, no matter what high jinx he and the others get up to at InsureAnts HQ, there’s always a higher level of risk involved in riding a motorbike.
Unlike a car, there’s not hard shell to keep you safe and a helmet and leathers can only do so much. You may think it’ll never happen to you, but accidents do happen and it’s important to know what to do.
So, we’ve put together what we hope will be a helpful guide on what to do if you have a motorbike accident:
In a Bike Accident, Play it cool
You can experience a range of emotions immediately after being involved in a motorbike accident, the the main thing to remember is stay calm. This will allow you to deal with the situation, especially when there is someone else involved and potential witnesses nearby.
Losing your cool will not get people on your side. Stay calm and you’ll find that others will follow suit and the situation can be handled to everyone’s advantage.
Try to gather up some witnesses
This can prove very important further down the line, so it’s a good idea to find anyone who has witnessed the accident. Many people involved may leave the scene of an accident, so having witnesses on hand can strengthen your position.
Think safety first
Having an accident is bad enough, without making the road dangerous for others. You should immediately switch off your engines and turn on hazard lights if possible. You should warn oncoming traffic that there has been an accident and it possible enlist the help of passers by.
If a car or van has been involved in the accident, get the drivers to use reflective triangles which are also an effective way of warning other road users of the potential dangers ahead.
Don’t leave the scene
Fleeing the scene of an accident will only make things things worse as this is an offence. Not only that, but you will have to be available to carry out certain obligatory duties.
These include:
Alerting emergency services
You may need to call the police or ambulance if someone is injured, the accident has caused major traffic disruption or is someone involved has fled the scene of the accident. You can use either 999 or 112 on your mobile to call the emergency services.
Getting the details
No matter how minor the accident may seem, you are legal obliged to swap details with others involved in an accident. You should get names, addresses and telephone numbers and, if possible, details of their motorbike insurance. If they don’t have that on them, then ask which company they are insured with.
However, it’s also a good idea to get down as many other details as possible such as the make and model of the car, van or bike, its registration number and colour. In some cases, the person driving the vehicle may not be the registered owner, so it’s helpful if you do find out the name and address of the owner.
If another party involved in an accident won’t give you their details, you should call the police.
Making more notes
If you have to make a claim on your motorcycle insurance, it will be helpful to have as many details as possible. Therefore, you should try and make as many notes as you can about the incident as soon as you are able to. This may involve getting names and contact details of witnesses.
With most mobile phones also having cameras on them, you can also document the scene using photographs. Try and get some pictures of street names or distinctive landmarks which may help jog your memory later down the line.
This can also be helpful if you believe that the poor condition of road contributed to the accident, so take some pictures of the road as well. It’s vital that you report that accident to your insurer as soon as you are able to as your motorbike insurance policy requires you to do so. Once you have put it in their hands, you insurance provide will guide you through the rest of the process.
What to do if a motorcyclist is injured
Never take off an injured motorcyclist’s helmet. You will be totally unaware if the person has suffered head injuries so it is removing their helmet could end up doing more harm than good.
Only if the person isn’t breathing or has suffered cardiac arrest should you attempt to take off their helmet, but you must do so carefully. Keeping someone’s heart going takes precedent over head or spinal injuries, so if you can, begin CPR.
If you are considering performing first aid at the scene of an accident, make sure it is safe to do so and that you are not putting the injured party and yourself in danger. If you feel it is too risky, call the emergency services immediately, and try and reassure the injured person that help is on the way
If you would like to learn more about first aid and how to perform it if involved in accident, then have a look at the St John Ambulance website. You’ll pick up some excellent advice and instructions which could save someone’s life.
Bike safe and avoid accidents
Accidents aren’t inevitable for motorcyclists and if you want to find out more about how you bike safely and avoid accidents, check out the handy guide on the website of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA).
