Buzz
Each year, between 20 and 50 million individuals worldwide suffer injuries or find themselves involved in car accidents. Given the frequency of such incidents, it's possible that you may come across one and need to offer assistance to any victims. However, you might be uncertain about the most effective way to lend a hand on the road. By ensuring the scene is secure and providing aid to any victims, you can make a significant difference to someone involved in a car accident.
Steps
Securing the Scene of the Accident
Pull over to the side of the road. If you're the first responder to an accident or someone capable and willing to offer assistance, move your vehicle to the side of the road. If the victim is on the road, position your vehicle as a barrier. Ensure your vehicle is safely positioned away from traffic lanes and isn't obstructing access to the scene or victim in any way.
- Switch off your vehicle's ignition. Activate your hazard lights to alert other drivers of your stopped vehicle. Keep in mind that your hazard lights will function even if your vehicle isn't running.
- Use your vehicle and others' to create a barrier for victims on the road. Ensure that vehicles forming the barrier also have their hazard lights on to warn approaching vehicles.
Maintain composure. It's crucial for both you and any victims involved that you remain composed. Doing so enables you to make well-informed, rational decisions to effectively handle the situation. If you find yourself beginning to panic, take a deep breath to regain focus or delegate tasks to others present at the scene.
- Avoid letting the panic of others—whether victims or bystanders—affect you. Keeping calm and collected can prevent a spread of panic within the group and minimize any potential harm.
Survey the scene promptly. While your initial impulse might be to immediately call for help, taking a moment to quickly assess the situation can provide crucial information to emergency services. Additionally, it can alert you to any immediate actions that should be taken before attending to the victims.
- Take note of details such as the number of vehicles involved, the count of victims, presence of fire, smell of gas, or smoke. Check for downed live wires or broken glass. Consider the presence of children or pets and relocate them to safety if unharmed.
- Ensure your own safety in the situation. Avoid becoming another casualty. For instance, ascertain there's no fire or smoke nearby. If you're a smoker, extinguish your cigarette to prevent igniting any spilled fluids from the vehicles.
Contact emergency services. Once you've quickly assessed the accident scene, dial emergency services. Provide the operator with all relevant information to the best of your ability. Encourage other witnesses and bystanders to also call emergency services, as they may possess additional insights or observations. Remember, the more details emergency services receive, the better they can respond.
- Inform the operator of your location, the number of victims, and any other pertinent details about the scene. Describe your precise location, including landmarks, to aid responders in finding you. Report any injuries sustained by the victims. Additionally, inform the dispatcher of any traffic obstructions that might impede emergency services. Seek guidance from the operator regarding scene safety or first aid administration.
- Stay on the line with the operator for as long as possible, even if you need to momentarily set down the phone to attend to the scene or assist the victim.
Alert approaching traffic. It's crucial to warn other motorists of the accident to prevent further incidents. Utilize flaggers or flares to signal oncoming traffic to slow down, potentially prompting other drivers to stop and render assistance.
- If available, deploy flares a few hundred feet on either side of the accident scene. Alternatively, ensure your hazard lights are operational if flares are unavailable. Only use flares if there's no fuel leakage present.
- Instruct bystanders to caution oncoming traffic to reduce speed and avoid the accident scene. Ensure flaggers remain clear of traffic lanes to prevent injury. If possible, provide reflective vests for flaggers, typically found in most vehicle safety kits.
Assisting Victims
Assess the surroundings for hazards. Before approaching an accident victim, ensure that the area is safe for your intervention. Look out for signs of fuel leakage, fire, smoke, or exposed wires. If any of these dangers are present, refrain from providing aid and immediately call emergency services.
- If the victim doesn't respond initially, check if the vehicle doors are locked (usually a positive sign). In such cases, break the window farthest from anyone inside the car to offer assistance.
- If the scene is safe, turn off the ignition of any involved vehicles to further ensure safety for all.
Inquire about assistance from the victim. If the accident victim is conscious, ask if they require assistance. This step is crucial because not all victims may desire help, even if it seems necessary. Failure to respect a victim's wishes could lead to legal repercussions under Good Samaritan laws.
- Ask the individual, 'Are you injured and in need of assistance?' If they affirm, proceed to offer aid to the best of your ability. If they decline, refrain from approaching or providing aid and wait for professional help to arrive.
- If a victim refuses help and later loses consciousness, Good Samaritan laws will provide legal protection. These laws shield volunteers offering aid in emergencies from liability for any resulting injuries or damages.
- Exercise caution when approaching victims, even if they request assistance. Panic reactions could potentially harm you or the victim further. Lightly shake the person to determine consciousness; if there's no response, they're unconscious.
Avoid repositioning the victim. Many injuries may not be immediately visible. Unless the victim faces imminent danger, such as from fire, it's advisable to leave them in place until emergency services arrive.
- When moving a victim, kneel down to their level to minimize panic and reduce the risk of further injury.
- Consider the adage 'am I improving the person's condition?' when deciding whether to relocate a victim. In life-threatening situations like potential explosions or fires, prioritize moving the victim to safety over concerns of exacerbating injuries.
Assess the victim's airway. Proper breathing is essential for sustaining life. If the victim is unconscious or loses consciousness, it's critical to check their airway to ensure adequate breathing. CPR may be necessary to restart the circulatory and respiratory systems if breathing ceases.
- Gently tilt the victim's head back by placing a hand on their forehead. Lift the chin with two fingers and position your cheek near the victim's mouth to detect breathing. Observe the chest for signs of rising and falling. If breathing is absent, initiate CPR if trained.
- If the victim isn't breathing and you're proficient in CPR, administer it. Otherwise, seek assistance from bystanders or wait for emergency services. Roll the victim onto their side to protect the airway, supporting the neck to prevent injury.
- Inform the emergency dispatcher if the victim is breathing or receiving CPR.
Provide aid as appropriate. Some advocates recommend administering first aid only for life-threatening injuries. For less severe injuries requiring bandaging or splinting, it's often best to wait for professional medical assistance, especially if help is on its way.
- Maintain minimal movement of the injured person and offer reassurance through conversation.
- Apply clothing or bandages around the spine or broken bones to immobilize them.
- Control bleeding by applying direct pressure with bandages or clothing. Elevate the bleeding area if possible and enlist the victim's assistance if conscious to help alleviate shock.
Address shock. It's common for car accident victims to experience or enter a state of shock following the incident. Shock can pose a life-threatening risk if left untreated. If you observe the telltale sign of shock—pale skin—promptly attend to the individual.
- Recall the mnemonic 'if the face is pale, elevate the tail.' Pallor in the face often indicates shock.
- Loosen any restrictive clothing and provide blankets, coats, or clothing to keep the victim warm. If feasible, elevate the victim's legs. Even resting their legs on your knees can help mitigate shock. Consider shading the victim from sun exposure or rain to lessen shock.
Offer solace to the victim. It's likely that the accident victim is frightened and possibly injured. Engaging in conversation and offering words of comfort can help reassure the individual until emergency services arrive.
- Provide words of encouragement to the victim, such as 'I understand you're in pain, but you're resilient and help is on its way. I'll stay by your side as long as you need.'
- If possible, hold the victim's hand. This simple gesture can provide significant reassurance to their sense of security.
Transfer responsibility to emergency responders. Upon the arrival of emergency services, allow them to assume care of the victim. These professionals are trained to manage car accidents and associated injuries more effectively.
- Provide emergency personnel with any pertinent information regarding the care you've provided or any observations you've made. Inquire how you can best assist them in their duties. Often, this may involve cooperating with law enforcement upon their arrival.
Helpful Tips
Important Warnings
- If you suspect the vehicle is at risk of explosion or catching fire, move the victim to a safe location.
