By Laurie Montoya, BikerDown Las Vegas
Everyone who rides a motorcycle on our roads should be prepared with some basic supplies in case they ever become injured or stranded. But, while it is easy to pack a bunch of first aid supplies and emergency gear into a car, bikers must downsize a lot, which is hard.
As the President and Founder of BikerDown, I have attended many Accident Scene Management classes, and instructors on what are the most important items to have in a trauma kit.
Motorcycle First Aid Kit Essentials
Riding is almost like camping; you have to plan for emergencies but pack the absolute minimum. To prepare a helpful emergency kit for motorcycles, riders need to think about the type of injuries they may face after an accident. They listed the following as the most common injuries riders face:
- Burns
- Eye Injuries
- Cuts, abrasions and scrapes;
- Fractures
- Trauma to the head, neck, spine, chest and abdomen
Given that information, we suggest the following for a motorcycle emergency kit. I have embellished with a few of my own suggestions at the bottom as well:
- Small first aid book
- Nitrile gloves (like doctor’s gloves – minimum 6 sets)
- Antimicrobial hand cleaner
- Sting relief/burn cream
- Band-aids
- Antibiotic ointment
- Large (4×4) sterile gauze pads
- Emergency blanket
- Sterile saline (with a squirt tip for irrigating)
- Instant cold pack(s)
- Glow sticks
- Trauma Shears
- 1-2 roles of 2” – 3” gauze
- Medical tape
- Tweezers
To this list, I would add:
- Small flashlight;
- A power bank for your phone
- Jacket or rain poncho
- Water
Now, I would be doing my job if I didn’t also mention that motorcycle injuries after an accident can be pretty darned horrific. In many cases, you won’t have time to consult a first aid book. For example, if you’re helping a friend who just laid down their bike, you need to act fast. For this reason, I would suggest that riders consider taking an Accident Scene Management courses offered periodically in Las Vegas thru BikerDown.org. There are classes scheduled for Saturday July 31st, and Sunday August 1st. Click on the links to register for these classes sponsored by Full Throttle Law.
BikerDown Offers Ready-Made Motorcycle Trauma Kits
Additionally, BikerDown offers ready-made trauma kits for a donation of $65.00. These handy kits come in a small bag, like a fanny pack or small shave kit bag and include some basic first aid supplies. If you would like to purchase one, please visit our store by clicking here.
BikerDown believes the trauma kits should a necessary piece of equipment that all riders should have on their bike. We need to be prepared to help each other on the road whether it’s a friend who was burned on a pipe, or someone with road rash, or worse.
If you have a first aid kit on your bike and it contains important items that I haven’t mentioned, send us your comments at info@motorcycleridernews.com.
