Biker hurt in South Devon road accident is Devon Air Ambulance's 5,000th patient

A biker hurt in a South Devon road accident was the 5,000th patient treated by the Devon Air Ambulance crew since Clinical 'Independence' in 2017.

The collisiion between the motor cyclist and a van happened on the A380 at Kingsteignton and was attended by the Devon Air Ambulance Exeter aircraft on Wednesday evening, July 12.

The dual carriageway couldn’t be closed at the point of the helicopter’s arrival as both carriageways are required to be closed for safety reasons. To enable the crew to reach the scene as swiftly as possible, the helicopter landed at one of the charity’s surveyed Community Landing Sites in Kingsteignton at just after 9pm.

The land ambulance crew were also on scene and soon had the patient on board to bring him to the waiting aircraft. Once on board, Devon Air Ambulance clinicians were able to further treat the patient and conveyed him to the Derriford Major Trauma Centre in Plymouth. 

Charlotte Leventis, Head of Communications and Marketing at Devon Air Ambulance said: "Sadly, we have been tasked to a total of 171 RTCs across Devon so far this year and we are working closely with Vision Zero Southwest to reduce the number of road deaths in Devon. 

"Being able to treat our 5000th patient has only been possible due to the kind and generous donations received from supporters across Devon and beyond. Our thoughts are with the patient involved in this incident and of course, their family and friends.” 

Vison Zero’s ambition is to cut road deaths and serious injuries to zero by 2040, and to reduce current numbers by 50 per cent by 2030.  You can find out more about Vison Zero’s work at: www.visionzerosouthwest.co.uk 

The Devon Air Ambulance fleet of emergency vehicles includes two Air Ambulance Helicopters and two rapid response, blue light Critical Care Cars, ready to respond to those critically ill or injured, whenever and wherever needed across Devon and neighbouring counties.  

It is a lifesaving Charity funded only by the generosity of the communities, businesses and people of Devon. In 2022 they were tasked to 1,255 missions by helicopter and 573 missions by critical care car.