It can be hard to think clearly when you're involved in an accident. The adrenaline that floods your body makes it difficult to take action during a crisis: How do you keep people safe? What should you do first? Who should you call? Follow these tips, and you'll be able to handle any situation confidently.
Get Everyone to Safety
It's essential to make sure everyone is safe. Check the driver's condition and make sure they're not bleeding, confused, or in shock. Next, check the road conditions: if you're on an interstate highway, look for signs of other accidents in the area; if it's a two-lane road with no shoulder or guardrail, be mindful of any hazards that could come up suddenly from behind or alongside your vehicle.
It's also possible that it may be a fuel spill accident or there is gas leaking from the vehicle; if so, direct everyone away from the accident and incoming traffic until emergency crews arrive.
Contact Emergency Services Immediately
If you're in a severe accident, the first thing to do is call emergency services. If you don't have cell service or are in a remote location, contact your local emergency services (call the highway patrol). In addition, if you are in a foreign country and involved in an accident, it is of utmost importance to reach the nearest embassy or consulate and request assistance immediately.
Check If Anyone Is Hurt
The first thing you should do after an accident is to check for injuries. If someone is hurt, you need to know how seriously they are injured. You can ask them if they're in pain and if any bleeding needs tending. If someone has lost consciousness, you'll want to see if they have a pulse or are breathing.
If someone seems unconscious but has a pulse and appears to be breathing normally, it could just mean that they've had the wind knocked out of them and aren't quite sure what happened yet (this is called "shock"). In some cases where there's been no injury at all other than shock, medical professionals may administer first aid with ice packs and neck braces before sending the victim home with instructions on rest until symptoms subside naturally over time.
If anyone shows signs of shock (like pale skin), you should ask everyone if there's a doctor nearby who can administer first aid to the injured.
Warn Oncoming Traffic of the Accident
If you're the only person at the scene of an accident, don't let your guard down just because no one else is around. Take precautions to ensure that nobody else comes along and gets hurt.
You can use a flashlight or cell phone light to warn oncoming traffic of the accident ahead. This will give them ample time to slow down.
Talk to the Driver to See What Happened
Now that you've cleared the scene, it's time to talk to the truck driver. You should try to get as much information from them as possible so you can understand how this accident took place and how you can prevent similar situations in the future.
You want to know if they were speeding or distracted by something else. If they were tired or impaired in any way, that would explain their mistake and give insight into what caused it.
Tire trucks often blow out because the driver simply didn't care enough to inflate them or replace them in time properly. Any truck tyre blowout accident lawyer will recommend you collect sufficient evidence of the accident scene. The more you have, the stronger your case will be!
Take Pictures of the Accident Scene
You should always take pictures of the scene if you've been involved in a serious traffic accident. This can be done using your phone or any other camera device that you have with you at the time. Take pictures of:
- The tracks left by the vehicle are likely to be very helpful if there is ever an investigation into what happened.
- The vehicle itself, its license plate number, and anything else that might help identify it (like writing on its side).
- Any injuries or damage caused by the incident.
Marking a traffic accident
You're never prepared for an accident, but there are things you can do to be prepared. If you ever find yourself in a severe collision, know that it's not only your livelihood at stake—it could also be another person's life. Never drive impaired, obey traffic laws, and stay alert while on the road. Most importantly, though, if you or someone else is hurt after any type of accident (including car accidents), ensure they get medical attention immediately!
