Cycling First Aid on the Road

What do you do when your mate falls off?

We recently shared the video below on our Facebook and it was very popular amongst our 9,000+ Facebook fans.  Lots of people shared it and commented on it, with comments such as “it’s easy to watch it and go ouch… that must have hurt..”  On a serious note, accidents like this are all too common and could happen to any of us, especially when we are cycling in a large groups of new found cycling friends and it is always good to have a bit of first aid knowledge up your sleeve.

On all Ride25 cycling holiday tours and events we always have qualified first aiders amongst our support crew.  However, it is always good for all riders to think about first aid, as the support crew might not be with you instantly.  The St John Ambulance have released a “First Aid for Cyclists” campaign which includes a really handy smartphone App which you can download HERE .  We think this is a great idea and would encourage all riders to download and use it – after all, it could save a life.

The St John Ambulance’s “First Aid for Cyclists” campaign has been launched to create the world’s largest first aid equipped cycling community, by directly educating cyclist on how to help other cyclists, should they have an accident.

While the rise in the number of cyclists across the world should be celebrated, it has also led to more people putting themselves at risk of having a road accident. Research undertaken by St John Ambulance shows that cyclists are both more likely and faster to respond to a fellow cyclist in need than other road users and pedestrians, which means that they need to be equipped with the correct skills to deal with an emergency situation and assess a situation correctly.

First aid is a skill St John Ambulance believes everyone should learn. The ability to assess a situation and be the difference between life and death is something that everyone, especially those at risk – cyclists – should possess.

The app contains advice specifically aimed at cyclists, covering how to treat the most common injuries experienced on the road, how to make the scene safe after an accident, and how to improvise using cycling equipment. This includes:

• Using a spare inner tube for a sling for arm or wrist injuries
• Using bike jacket or clothing as padding for arm or wrist injuries
• Using bike jackets, or clothing as bandages for treating bleeding
• Using a bike jacket, or clothing with water poured on it as a cold compress for head or facial injuries
• Using fellow cyclists’ bikes as a barrier to stop traffic, when making the scene safe.
• Using bike lights to light the scene of an accident, when making the scene safe.

Full of practical advice, easily accessed in an instant, the app should be as essential to any rider as their bike repair kit. The app can be used by cyclists at the scene of an emergency, or for cyclists to read and learn from in the comfort of their home.

The app was produced using advice from the St John’s Ambulance expert clinical team, and advice from their Cycle Response Unit.  Ride25 are therefore calling on riders to download the new, free First Aid for Cyclists app available in the app store and HERE.

Cycle response unit

The campaign also marks 10 years since the Cycle Response Unit at St John Ambulance was introduced, their team of highly trained first aid volunteers who use specially equipped mountain bikes, and can be first at the scene of an accident.