How to Treat Road Burn From a Motorcycle Accident

When you ride a motorcycle you do not have to have a major collision to understand the pain involved with hitting the road. Regardless of how good a rider you are and how careful you may be, there is always a possible hazard or danger waiting. Landing on the road when your bike is moving can result in road burn or road rash. This is the name for the abrading of the top layer of your skin. Deeper wounds, where tissue or layers of fat are visible, require immediate medical attention.

Things You'll Need

• Water
• Soap
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Antibiotic ointment
• First aid kit
• Fully charged cell phone

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Instructions

• 1

  Move to an area where you can park your bike on a level part of the ground and where no oncoming cars can hit you. An indoor sheltered area would be best.

• 2

  Remove the articles of clothing covering the affected skin. Do this very slowly so that you do not tear away any more skin that might be embedded with cloth.

• 3

  Pour water over any areas that have cloth stuck to them. It will make it less painful to remove the article of clothing.

• 4

  Wash the area immediately with soap and water and pour a generous amount of hydrogen peroxide over the areas that seem to be abraded.

• 5

  Cover the entire area with antibiotic ointment such as Bacitracin ointment, Neosporin or any topical ointment that should be in your first-aid kit. Use gauze to cover the wound.

• 6

  Assess the wound at this time. If it is still bleeding you might need stitches. It would be prudent to call for an ambulance if the wound is bleeding after 15 minutes for a limb or five minutes for the head and if you feel unreasonable pain. Call for emergency help if you are unsure.