Vehicular Accidents

Summertime is great time to go outside and explore the city. There are also more accidents involving cars. People might assume there are more accidents in the winter because of driving conditions; however, there are more accidents involving pedestrians. How would I handle pedestrian or motor vehicle accidents?

There is a tendency to want to lay people on their back after they were in an accident. Do not do this. If there is an injury to the neck or spine it could cause instant death.

It is weird getting hit by a car or having an intense accident while skateboarding at the park. It might take a minute to adjust. The person who suddenly did a cartwheel after hitting their head is still walking around. They are in shock. First tell them to sit down. You might have to repeat it several times until they sit down, but do not touch them. If they are already down tell them not to move. If they damaged their neck, pulling on their head could snap the spine and kill them within minutes.

Call the emergency help line and wait for paramedics. They might look awkward yet moving them in anyway that feels unnatural could result in permanent spinal injury. Talk about stuff and if they feel laying down is better, let them move themselves. Do not do it for them. Emergency Medical Technicians will place a brace around their neck and spine.

Do not move someone is saying they are in pain. Never touch them or try to make them move in a way that feels uncomfortable.

That is the best method to handle the majority of most accidents. In automobile accidents, I perform the usual task of looking for police cars, firetrucks or ambulances on the scene. Even if people are standing around, I still call the emergency help line. It only takes a minute to pull over to the side of the road and make a phone call.

Oddly, people see accidents and no one calls the Police. Dozens of witnesses could surround the person and everyone thinks someone else called the emergency hotline. It is better to call to make sure someone reported the accident. If close to the accident, you can roll down the window and as if they already called. It bothers me to think someone could get in an accident where everyone in both cars are unable to report the accident themselves because of injury. Everyone who drove by thought the people in the cars called, because that is what most people would do. Meanwhile people are slowly dieing in their cars.

It could happen and has happened. I am not a person who checks on passengers. I will pull over and call the Police. Maybe they do not have cell phones. There is only one time I witnessed a car accident. It happened right in front of me. I saw the guy making a left turn. He had a couple kids and the oncoming car hit a corner of the bumper. The car spin around. I stopped immediately to avoid getting hit. It was weird. I called in and reported the accident to tell the Operator what I had seen.

Sometimes accidents are difficult to determine. I tried to keep any weird thoughts about intention or what really happened to myself and report what happened. Later on the testimonial might be helpful in determining fault. If witnessing a crime, even though fairly sure someone else will report it, always call to report what was seen as a Witness.

I can imagine what would make me get out of the car. I remember seeing people with a flat tire on the side of the road in the middle of the night. Driving alone, as a Woman, I took precautions. I rolled the window down an inch and locked the doors. They needed a car jack. Driving an economy car, while they drive a truck they were able to use some stuff to make the jack touch the bottom of their truck. They fixed the tire and closed the truck. I feel good.

It was awkward, yet anyone driving alone or even with a small group should protect themselves in these situations. I have roadside service. It'll be a few minutes until the tow truck arrives. I tell people through a crack in the window that roadside service will arrive soon.

Not everyone has roadside service and going back to the situation were someone is in a severe accident, it would have to be a dark night, in a quiet suburban neighborhood or out near farmlands before getting out of the car solely to protect them from being touched. It isn't even a matter of offering resuscitation. As long as they are breathing, even shallow breaths that are slightly choking with weird gurgling noises, they are better staying exactly where they are.

Even when breathing stops, they have a couple minutes. It is so important not to move them. If they stop breathing try to hold their head and body in place. Do not move them. Do not try to make it look less intensely painful. That is how people die or become paraplegics. Absolutely no one is around so it is time to tell them to not move or try to get out of the car. They need to stay still. The Police and Ambulances will be there soon. Also tell other people to stay away from them. Do not try to move them from the car. Ask people if they are licensed for resuscitation and have the appropriate equipment. There might be a need for it, yet letting the Authorities handle it is best. Beyond telling people to avoid touching them and making it worse, there is really nothing to do.

Even if someone called, call again. Pull over to the side of the road and call the emergency hotline and drive away. It really is the least a person can do. One or dozens of people reported it. It was reported.

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