It's the Easter weekend, and many of us will be hitting the roads. Of course, there'll be the usual accident toll.
Would you know what to do if you were the first person on the scene of an accident?
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"Most people are not medically trained and do not know what to do," said Nick Dollman of Netcare 911, "but there are some ways everyone can help."
Careful where you stop
One of the major things Dollman warns about, is parking in a place that could cause a secondary collision.
"Some people stop with good intentions, others are just curious. Curious bystanders park in the emergency lane and sometimes in the road, which could result in another collision; it also causes traffic delays and makes it difficult for the larger emergency vehicles to pass (ambulances and fire engines)," he said.
He suggested the following pointers if you do stop:
There are risks involved, so make sure it is safe for you and you family (or occupants of your vehicle) to stop. Be aware of your surroundings. Are you in the middle of nowhere, or are you in the fast lane of the highway in the middle of the night with cars zooming by? If you are concerned about safety, rather don't stop, but report the accident as soon as possible.
If you stop (or are involved in a collision), you need to draw attention to the accident scene to avoid secondary collisions. Put on the car’s hazard lights, flash lights at approaching motorists, put out a warning triangle, flash a torch at approaching motorists, wear a reflective bib if you have one – do whatever you can and whatever you have to.
Do not stand in the middle of the road, it is dangerous.
Turn off the ignition of the crashed vehicle.
Warn people not to smoke as there may be petrol on the road.
If the driver is conscious, ask him/her how many passengers were in the car, especially small children who may be trapped or flung out of the car.
If you are not medically trained try not touch the victims unless absolutely necessary. Blood can be dangerous, and you can very easily get cut or injured at a collision scene where there is broken glass and sheared metal around.
Never move a victim unless they are in a life-threatening situation (for instance, someone is unconscious in a car and the car is on fire, or submerged in water). The victim seldom needs to be moved before paramedics arrive.
If an injured person is wearing a helmet, don't remove it unless you need to perform CPR. You mush however, open the visor of the helmet and loosen the chin strap.
Cover victims with a blanket or jacket until help arrives.
Think ahead. Equip your car with a first aid kit and include a few pairs of latex gloves. First aid kits are readily available from 4x4 shops, most large retailers, pharmacies, large hardware stores, and AA shops. Latex gloves are available at pharmacies.
It's vitally important to call emergency services as soon as possible, and supply as much information as you can so that the correct resources can be sent to avoid time delays.
Have the right information ready
When contacting emergency services, you should convey as much information as possible about the situation – and, if you've stopped and can do so, the status of any injured people. This ensures the right resources are dispatched.
Information useful to paramedics includes:
How many vehicles are involved?
How many people are injured? (for instance, in a minibus taxi there could be up to 16 people, whereas in a motorbike accident there is usually only one person).
Assess the injuries, if you can.
Are people trapped in vehicles?
Are they conscious or unconscious?
Once you have contacted emergency services, try to encourage victims not to move until the paramedics arrive, as they may cause themselves more damage.
National medical emergency numbers:
Netcare 911: 082 911
ER24: 084 124
Metro ambulance: 10 177
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