Steps to follow if you’re in a road accident
No one likes to imagine themselves in a road accident, but unfortunately these days the likelihood of being involved in one is high, especially if you’re a regular road user on South Africa’s roads. This is why it’s so important to be prepared and know what to do should you ever find yourself in such a situation.
Take a look at these useful steps to follow from Arrive Alive – it’s a good idea to save these to your phone or print them out and keep them in the cubby hole of your car…
What to do first
- Pull your vehicle over
- Park in a safe position off the road.
- Turn on your hazard lights and headlights. (Any and all lighting that may help other motorists see that there has been an accident and slow down is necessary. Don’t put your bright lights on as this may temporarily blind oncoming motorists)
- If the accident is on a blind rise or bend, parking your vehicle back from the accident in a ‘fend-off’ position so vehicles see the accident scene may help prevent further accidents.
- Put out your warning triangles if you have them
What to do next
Phone ER24 on 084 124, Netcare 911 or the Other Emergency Numbers below
084 124 is the national number which will connect you with ER24’s Contact Centre.
It is an emergency line where a call taker will request the following information:
- Your telephone number (to remain in contact with you should you be cut off)
- Your location (street name and nearest crossroad)
- The details of what has happened, how many people are injured, whether there is e fire, etc.
This will allow the dispatcher to send the correct personnel from the closest area. In addition, the call takers are able to give you telephonic advice as to what to do to help the injured on the accident scene.
Assisting the Injured
If you have a First Aid kit, take it out of your vehicle. Put on the rubber gloves that are inside the first aid kit.
Calm and reassure the people that have been involved in the accident. Make them aware you have called the emergency services and that help is on the way. This may be the only thing AND the most important thing you can do to help someone involved in an accident.
The most important principles when helping an accident victim are the following:
- Safety – Do not attempt heroics which may potentially jeopardise your own safety. Your safety comes first, before that of the injured. You are of no use to anyone if you become injured while attempting to help others.
- If there is any fire/ flames and you have a fire extinguisher, use it and direct the foam/ water at the base of the flames.
- Do NOT move the patient or attempt to remove them from the vehicle UNLESS there is an immediate threat to life (e.g. the car is on fire and you are unable to extinguish it). There may be an underlying injury to the neck or spine and unnecessary movement could make this worse.
- If the person is unconscious, open the mouth and check there is nothing inside causing obstruction.
- Check if the person is breathing.
- If the patient is breathing leave them in the position you find them and monitor them regularly.
- If the patient is NOT breathing and you have been trained to do so, you may begin CPR and rescue breathing as necessary.
- If a person is bleeding heavily from a wound, take any available material e.g. a t-shirt/ gauze from the first aid kit/ a towel/ a blanket/ etc, and place it over the open bleeding wound. Then press tightly applying direct pressure to the wound. Maintain that pressure until the emergency services arrive. Do not stop pressing to check if there is continued bleeding or to look at the wound. This procedure may save a persons life.
Being a bystander at an accident scene is invariably a stressful event. However, if you remain calm, keep your head and follow the above principles, you could be instrumental in assisting, reassuring and even saving the lives of the accident victims. Ultimately we would all like to ‘Arrive Alive’