Thursday 27th June 2013 – 11.50am – Murray MacGregor.
Two motorcyclists have been hurt after separate collisions within half an hour of each other in Warwickshire this morning.
The first collision happened at the junction of the A429 Fosse Way and the B4035 near Shipston on Stour.
An off duty paramedic from South Central Ambulance Service came across the incident and stopped to offer assistance. A land ambulance from West Midlands Ambulance Service was sent after a 999 call at just after 8.30am.
On arrival, the crew found a car and a motorcycle had been in collision. The motorcyclist was found about 10 feet from the bike.
The rider, a 59 year old, was complaining of neck pain, a bruised right knee and a possible fracture of his right ankle. The rider’s helmet was also damaged.
The man was immobilised using a neck collar and spinal board, was given pain relief and had his ankle splinted before being taken to the Major Trauma Centre at University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire.
The car driver was shaken but otherwise uninjured.
The second incident happened at the junction of Dale Avenue and Banbury Road in Stratford Upon Avon at just after 9.00am.
Again a car and a motorcyclist were involved in a collision.
An ambulance and a rapid response vehicle were sent to the scene. The rider, a man in his 20s was found about 10 feet from the crash. He was suffering from hip and pelvic pain and he had a nasty cut to his left knee.
The ambulance staff immobilised him, stabilised his pelvis and dressed his wound before taking him to the same hospital.
Again, the car driver was uninjured.
West Midlands Ambulance Service motorcycle paramedic, Mark Hayes, said: “A significant percentage of motorcycle accidents, particularly fatal motorcycle crashes, occur at relatively high speeds. Unfortunately, even a relatively low speed crash can lead to serious injury, especially if the rider is not wearing appropriate safety clothing.
“A good set of leathers, safety helmet and high visibility clothing go a long way to minimising injury. Secondly, it is really important for people to concentrate on arriving at their destination safely, rather than as quickly as possible. Preventing the accident is the ideal as opposed to relying on safety equipment to save lives.
“I have been riding for over 20 years and have dealt with many accidents involving riders. One of the causes of accidents is drivers failing to see the biker because they are more difficult to spot than a car.
“All motorists, whether on two, three or four wheels are responsible for respecting the rights of all other drivers no matter the size or type of their vehicle.”
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