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11 things you must do when there is a road accident

11 things you must do when there is a road accident
You must know what to do when you witness or are involved in an accident ©Shutterstock

Do you know what to do if you are involved in or witness a road accident?

Written by Editorial Team |Updated : January 17, 2019 4:17 PM IST

Incidents of road traffic accidents have progressively spiked over the years. According to statistics, road traffic fatalities constitute 16.6 per cent of all deaths making it the 6th leading cause of death in our country, and a major contributor to socio-economic losses, disability burden and hospitalization. Shockingly, over 13,000 people lost their lives in 35,957 road accidents that took place in 2018, in Maharashtra. While road traffic accidents are the most common reason for deaths worldwide; panic is the most common reason to make it a disaster. Dr Md. Shakeel Ahmed, HOD-Emergency & Trauma, Fortis Hospital, Kalyan, suggests a few things to keep in mind if you are in or have witnessed an accident:

1. Try to remain calm. Try to take deep breaths and take control of the situation, and don t lose your temper.

2. Take care of personal safety. Move the victim to the side of the road and turn on the hazard lights of your vehicle, so that the oncoming traffic can be diverted to the next lane avoiding a pile-up.

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3. Turn off the engine of the vehicle involved in the crash; this might help prevent an explosion.

4. Call for help immediately if you are involved, or witness an accident; inform the exact location and the possible number of casualties to the authorities. Inform the nearest hospital, if possible, so the emergency services can be pressed into action.

5. Check for the level of consciousness of the victim. If unconscious, shout for help and call an ambulance. Check for the pulse and breathing, if these are absent start Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) immediately.

6. Avoid moving the victim; unless they are being moved out of the car or for administering CPR. Sudden neck movements in a high-speed collision can lead to cervical cord injury, which can leave a person paralyzed. They could also have broken bones or internal injuries that could worsen while moving the victim.

7. Look for any obvious source of bleeding. Compress the site of bleeding or tie something above the level of bleeding so that blood loss is minimal. If possible, elevate the area of bleeding to chest height.

8. Clear the site of excess bystanders who are not helping. Make way for the ambulance and emergency services.

9. Memorize the emergency helpline numbers.

10. Always have a mini first aid kit in your vehicle; it should comprise bandages, cotton, gauze pieces, tapes, Soframycin/ betadine ointment, common painkillers, etc.

11. Do not offer water or food to the accident victims, though might seem to be the most basic thing to do, it might lead to choking.