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Medical Video: Do's and Don'ts After a Car Accident | Watch And Share!
Accidents on the highway can almost occur every day. Throughout 2016 alone there were around 105 thousand traffic accident cases in Indonesia. You may have witnessed one or two of these cases with your own eyes while driving. Traffic accidents always attract attention. But what do you do then? Immediately intervene to help victims or actually do what has become a habit of ingrained Indonesians - join the crowd on the roadside, and become spectators only?
Don't just be apathetic. Your concern to help at critical times can be the most valuable gift for anyone in need.
First aid if there is a traffic accident on the road
The next time you encounter a traffic accident, this is what you have to do.
1. Be calm
Watching a traffic accident directly requires a calm, panic-free response, and remains calm in a traumatic situation. Rushing to a dangerous situation without a mature plan is not a wise step. As quickly as possible, focus on how severe the accident is, and what can be done to improve the situation. The accident could have been small without anyone being seriously injured, or it was terrible with a gamble of life.
2. Master the situation
Do not approach the vehicle or approach too close until you are sure the location of the accident is safe. After a car accident, especially a serious one, there may be a fire, a shard of glass, or a fuel spill.
If you are driving when you see an accident, move to the side of the road at least 30 meters from the scene if you make it possible, turn off the engine and turn on your hazard light. You want to give enough distance so that you don't endanger yourself from the potential danger. You also don't want to be careless about getting out of your vehicle in the middle of traffic, or leaving your vehicle in a place that could cause another car accident. Keep your physical distance until professional help gets there if you are in doubt about the danger.
3. Contact the authorities
Don't get out of the car before you really believe the situation around is safe. Quickly contact emergency number 118 to report the location and details of the events you see, regardless of whether the victim is present or not. Don't assume that someone else will / will contact the authorities. If your cellphone is not within range, ask someone else to call the number.
If you witness a hit-and-run car accident, you should not try to confront the driver because this can also harm you if he is angry or angry. Record the data of vehicles involved in accidents, such as license plates, vehicle types, brands, types, colors, to the physical description of the driver and the number of victims (if any) to anticipate a hit and run event.
4. Secure the surroundings
Unless the situation is very precarious, you should wait until emergency services arrive. Do not approach the vehicle or too close to the location until you are sure the location of the accident is safe. Keep crowds of people who smoke or smoke. The presence of gasoline and other highly flammable materials can trigger other accidents that are far worse if sparks or smoke from cigarette butts cause fires.
Try to gather other witnesses. This will make your testimony more useful to disadvantaged parties and emergency services. Ask someone to prevent the audience from surrounding the scene and to ensure that the scene is safe from further traffic incidents.
5. Help the victim
If you believe it's safe to approach the car, check the condition of the accident victim to make sure they are okay and offer help, if you can. If there is a life in danger, you can act quickly to pull it out of location - especially if paramedics have not arrived at the scene.
But, you need to be careful. Victims of accidents may experience severe body damage, so you can only move victims if the situation urges you to do so. Don't move injured people anywhere unless the situation is dangerous to leave them where they are. Moving a wounded person can make a previously mild wound become serious. In the meantime, make them as comfortable as possible - by wrapping the wound or stabilizing the head and neck by placing one solid object on each side of the head. This will prevent it from moving and prevent further injury.
Help other victims who may experience minor injuries and you can come out. If you have qualified first aid skills, such as CPR or artificial breath, do it to victims who need it. If not, wait for the paramedics. Practically practicing the steps of rescue can actually endanger the victim.
Stop the passing vehicle at the first opportunity if there are victims who need to be taken to the hospital. Secure the victim's belongings. Don't forget to note the vehicle number and where it was taken. If the situation allows, try to contact the victim's family based on available instructions or information.
6. Testify
When the police arrive at the scene, tell the chronology of the incident and give your name to the police and to the parties involved in the accident. You should also consider making a note of what you witnessed with your own eyes during the incident and after, because you can be asked to be a witness and help reconstruct the accident if there are questions about who is guilty.
