READING, Pa. – On Saturday, the Reading Hospital is partnering with Classic Harley Davidson to host “RIDE READY,” an interactive motorcycle safety and emergency response event.
“These are lifesaving skills,” said Doctor Jennifer Barney from Reading Hospital.
Barney says the event isn’t about telling people to stop riding motorcycles.
“We’re really just kind of encouraging riders to ride safely and also if something were to happen, what they could do to help themselves or maybe their fellow rider,” said Barney.
Last year alone, there were more than 2,900 motorcycle crashes in Pennsylvania.
Reading Hospital treated 63 motorcycle crash-related injuries from January to June this year. In these cases, only 50% were wearing protective equipment/clothing.
“Statistically, those injuries that wore less protection, such as helmets or jackets or gloves, had more severe injuries,” said Barney.
The event will teach participants hands-only CPR, how to stop bleeding, and what to do if you or someone else falls off a bike.
Barney says teaching first aid and proper road safety can help save lives.
“And so whether you’re a bike rider or not, these are things that anybody can really find useful,” said Barney.
Barney says the most important thing is to always wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle
“We can fix a lot of things in the trauma bay, but the head- everybody is different, and everybody responds differently,” said Barney.
The event is free to attend and runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Classic Harley-Davidson in Bern Township.