In 2020, 42,791 motorcycle accidents in New Jersey resulted in injuries. Many of these injuries include road rash, which can lead to infections and further complications if you don’t know how to treat motorcycle road rash. Learn more about this type of injury and how to treat motorcycle road rash when it occurs.

What Is Road Rash?

Road rash is when the skin and soft tissue experience severe trauma from extended exposure to a road. The friction from the road can tear away skin and cause substantial abrasions, sometimes resulting in skin grafts.

Road rash is most common in motorcycle accidents and it can manifest as abrasions, lacerations, or thermal burns.

Degrees of Road Rash

There are three degrees of road rash. Like burn injuries, road rash injuries can vary in severity from mild to grave. Determining what degree of road rash you have can help you choose the best course of treatment.

• First Degree: This degree of road rash typically means scrapes, bruising, redness, soreness, and minor bleeding.
• Second Degree: Second-degree road rash entail bleeding, swelling, and heat radiating from the wound. Muscles, tendons, or nerves may be exposed.
• Third Degree: Third-degree rashes are when the skin flays or peels off significantly, along with substantial bleeding, swelling, and open wounds. Muscles, nerves, and tendons may be exposed, and the rash covers more than 10% of your body. Third-degree road rash can create a shiny or milky appearance on the afflicted area.

Types of Road Rash

Along with degrees that indicate severity, there are also three different types of road rash.

• Avulsion: This type of road rash is when the skin layers are scraped off and muscles, tendons, bones, nerves, and fat are exposed.
• Compression: Compression road rash occurs when the individual was enclosed by two objects, creating bruising, fractures, and muscle damage on either side of the body.
• Open Wound: Open-wound road rash is the largest type and will expose muscles, tendons, bones, nerves, and fat. Most open-wound rashes are considered third-degree rashes.

Best Road Rash Treatment Methods

The sections below will explain how to treat motorcycle road rash. Mild road rash can be treated at home, but severe cases should be treated by a doctor.

At-Home Treatments

For treating your road rash at home, you’ll want clean bandages and antibiotic products. You can buy these at the store. In most cases, you should seek medical attention for road rash. But if it is very mild, you can follow the treatment steps and tips below and deal with it at home.

1. Wash your hands with soap before touching or cleaning the wound.
2. Use lukewarm water to gently clean the affected area. Carefully remove any foreign objects from the wound, such as dirt and debris from the road.
3. The best antibiotic product for road rash is an ointment, because it’s easy and less painful to apply and will also moisturize the skin. But you can also use antibiotic lotions or wipes if no ointment is available. Gently apply the ointment to the road rash.
4. After applying the ointment, place a fresh bandage over the area to protect it from infection or more trauma. Make sure you use a fresh, sterile bandage every time.

You should repeat the above process frequently. Try to change the bandage at least once a day, but you can do it more if you feel it is necessary. Using old bandages can cause irritation and infection.

Every time you change your bandage, assess the rash for signs of infections, such as persistent redness, pus, or discoloration. Other signs of infection include worsening pain, fever, or chills. Ensure you always wash your hands before changing your bandages.

Medical Treatments

If you were in a motorcycle accident in New Jersey, it’s wise to visit a hospital and seek medical attention.

In some cases, road rash is extremely mild, and you can treat it at home, but road rash injuries can easily cause permanent nerve damage, traumatic tattoos, or lead to infection. So it’s best to visit a professional to assess the severity.

The medical treatment will vary depending on the type and degree of road rash, but the following courses of treatment are possibilities:

• Administration of intravenous fluids
• Shock resuscitation
• Topical therapy with antiseptic and antimicrobial agents
• Removal of dead or unsalvageable tissue
• Skin graft
• Antibiotics
• Physical or occupational therapy

Medical treatments for road rash can cost patients thousands of dollars and still leave them with severe scarring or secondary complications, like permanent nerve damage.

Motorcycle riders and bicyclists can try to prevent road rash injuries by wearing protective clothing and gear while riding. Road rash injuries occur most frequently in summer months when riders are least likely to be wearing long pants and sleeves made of a thick, sturdy material.

Injured? Contact Our NJ Motorcycle Accident Lawyers for Help

If you suffered road rash or any other injuries due to a motorcycle, bicycle, or car accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, let the compassionate motorcycle accident attorneys at Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law, help you understand your legal options.  Our lawyers have decades of experience representing victims and have helped people just like you move forward after an accident. Contact us today for a free consultation.