The Chairman of the German Professional Association of Rescue Services (DBRD), Frank Flake, is advocating for mandatory helmet use for e-bike riders-commonly known as pedelecs.
“We repeatedly see severe head injuries among pedelec riders” Flake told the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” newspaper. “25 kilometers per hour may not sound fast, but it can be life-threatening in a fall.
Flake is also calling for nationally standardized competencies for emergency medical personnel. “Currently, emergency paramedics are permitted to do different things not only from state to state, but even from district to district – costing valuable time when it matters most” he criticized. He explained that a paramedic may be authorized to administer strong pain medication in one district, but required to wait for a physician in the next. “On a country road, far from the nearest hospital, that can be decisive” said the association chairman.
Flake also voiced concern regarding obstructions caused by onlookers at accident scenes, particularly in rural areas. He noted that such interference is often more extreme on country roads than on highways. “Passersby even get out of their cars to take pictures with their mobile phones” he said, commenting on a perceived growing lack of respect for emergency situations. “Accident victims are often on Facebook faster than they are in the hospital” Flake concluded.