Road rash is more than just scraped skin. It’s a painful injury that happens when your skin rubs or slides across rough surfaces like pavement. These injuries are common in motorcycle accidents, bicycle crashes, and other roadway incidents. Depending on how bad the injury is, road rash can lead to serious problems like infections, permanent scarring, or even muscle and nerve damage.

In this blog post, we’ll cover the different types and degrees of road rash, how to treat it, what complications to look out for, and how to protect yourself.

What Is Road Rash?

Road rash happens when a person’s skin scrapes along a rough surface after falling or sliding. It often affects the elbows, knees, face, hands, shoulders, and ankles—places where the skin is more likely to hit the ground first. It can be painful and sometimes very serious, depending on how deep the damage goes.

There are three main types of road rash:

Avulsion

This is the most common type. It happens when the skin is scraped away, sometimes exposing the tissue, muscle, or even bone underneath.

Open Wound

This type involves tearing of the skin. These injuries can bleed heavily and may need stitches to close the wound.

Compression

This happens when a part of the body is crushed between two objects—like a motorcycle and the road—causing bruising, skin damage, and even broken bones.

Degrees of Road Rash

Just like burns, road rash injuries are ranked by severity:

First-Degree Road Rash

This is the mildest type. It causes redness, soreness, and maybe some light bleeding. It usually heals at home with proper cleaning and care.

Second-Degree Road Rash

This type affects deeper skin layers. The skin may be broken, swollen, and there could be exposed tissue. This kind of injury should be looked at by a medical professional to avoid infection or scarring.

Third-Degree Road Rash

This is the most serious type. The skin is completely removed, exposing muscle or bone. It may not hurt much in the center because the nerves could be damaged, but the edges are very painful. This requires immediate medical attention.

Treating Road Rash

How you treat road rash depends on how serious it is.

For Minor Injuries (First-Degree)

• Wash your hands before touching the wound.

• Gently rinse the area with mild soap and water.

• Remove any dirt or debris carefully.

• Pat the area dry with a clean towel.

• Apply antibiotic ointment.

• Cover the wound with a clean bandage and change it daily.

For More Serious Injuries

If you have a large wound (more than three times the size of your palm), bleeding that won’t stop, or signs of infection, you need medical care. A doctor may:

• Clean the wound deeply to remove dirt or foreign objects.

• Give you antibiotics to prevent infection.

• Give you a tetanus shot if needed.

• Prescribe pain medication.

• Order an X-ray if they suspect broken bones or embedded debris.

• Perform surgery if tissue needs to be removed or repaired.

When to See a Doctor

You should get medical attention right away if:

• The wound is large or very deep.

• You see muscle, bone, or tendons.

• There’s a lot of dirt or gravel that can’t be removed at home.

• The injury is on your hands, feet, face, or genitals.

• There’s pus, a bad smell, or red streaks around the wound.

• You have a fever or feel very tired after the injury.

• The bleeding won’t stop.

Complications from Road Rash

Road rash can seem like a minor injury, but it can cause big problems if not treated properly.

Infections

Open wounds can let bacteria in. Common infections include:

• Staph infection: These bacteria live on your skin and can cause serious illness if they get into the body. Some types are resistant to antibiotics.

• Necrotizing fasciitis: A rare but deadly infection where bacteria destroy skin, fat, and muscle. It spreads fast and needs emergency care.

• Cellulitis: This infection causes redness, swelling, and fluid buildup. If untreated, it can spread to the bloodstream and become life-threatening.

Long-Term Damage

If the injury is deep enough, it can leave permanent scars or disfigurement. Some people also suffer from long-term nerve or muscle damage, especially if the wound wasn’t treated right away.

How to Prevent Road Rash

The best way to avoid road rash is to wear the right protective gear, especially when riding a motorcycle or bicycle.

• Helmet with face shield: Protects your head and face from impact and scraping.

• Leather jacket or abrasion-resistant clothing: Shields your arms and torso from rough pavement.

• Full-finger gloves: Keeps your hands protected if you fall.

• Boots that cover the ankle: Helps guard your feet and prevent crushing injuries.

• Long pants made from tough materials: Avoids direct contact between your legs and the ground.

Staying alert on the road and wearing proper gear greatly lowers your risk of serious road rash injuries.

Call for Help When You Need It

If you or someone you care about is dealing with a serious road rash injury after a motorcycle crash, don’t wait. Medical care is important, and you might also need legal help if the accident was caused by someone else. You could be owed money for medical bills, lost work, or pain and suffering.

To learn more or get a free case review, call D2 Law at (800) 790-5641. We’re here to help you understand your options and take the next step forward.