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Witnessing a Motor Vehicle Collision: What can you do?
Dr. Zulfikar Bux
Emergency Medicine Specialist
Waterfall Magazine – Our roadways are becoming more saturated with vehicles. There are more errant drivers with less road space to maneuver and unfortunately, there are drunk drivers out there. Lives are lost or changed daily because of motor vehicle collisions on our roadways. On any given day, there is a patient in the emergency room who was a victim of a motor vehicle collision.
In 2023, there was a 76.8% increase in road fatalities from the previous year. This is very unfortunate but it is the reality. If you are reading this article, then chances are you may have witnessed a Motor Vehicle Collision (MVC) or you were at the scene of one. If the scenario comes up that you are at the scene of a motor vehicle collision, would you know what to do? In the event that you do witness a MVC the following steps may help you deliver emergency first responder care to the victim(s).
Ensure the scene is safe
As much as you may want to render assistance, it is imperative that you ensure that the scene of the MVC is safe for you to enter. Ensuring there aren’t fuel leaks, impending explosions, exposed electrical wires, spilled dangerous chemicals etc. may be the difference between you becoming a victim instead of a rescuer. Once the scene is safe for you, ensure you safely retrieve the victim and bring them to a safer scene also.
Call for help
Getting assistance will be vital in performing a rescue. Two hands are better than one, utilizing the help that is available is very vital in an emergency setting. The most experienced person at the scene should try to be hands off if possible and direct the proceedings. Giving others tasks and ensuring it’s complete in a safe and timely manner is very important in these emergency settings. It is important that a call be placed to 912 for medical assistance. While this service is not all over Guyana, its rapidly expanding and coverage should be coming to you sooner rather than later.
Check for responsiveness
All the victims of the MVC should be checked for responsiveness. Unfortunately, research has shown that victims of trauma who are unresponsive and not breathing have a low chance of survival. What this means is that attention should be given to those that are breathing first. Victims that can talk and walk should be guided to a safe retrieval scene. Once time permits, then attention should be given to the unresponsive.
Perform CPR
The intention of this article is to not teach CPR, but if you are CPR trained and victims are in need of CPR then you should assist or direct the delivery of it. Stabilizing the victim’s neck to prevent unnecessary movements, compressing and wrapping all bleeding wounds, and ensuring the victim lies on a flat surface with his/her limbs close to their body are some of the interventions that can be done by anyone to assist in medical care.
Transport the patient in a timely manner
The victim should be transported to the nearest hospital in a safe but efficient manner. If there are emergency trained personnel available to transport the patient, then let them take over the scene. All patients should be transported lying flat but towards their left or right side if possible. By lying sideways, these patients can vomit and not choke on it.
Hand over the patient at the Hospital
It is important that you educate medical personnel at the Hospital about the events of the accident and what you may know about the patient. Do not leave without doing this. Your information may be the most vital piece of the patient care that the Doctors or Nurses may have to begin with. Ensure you leave your contact information before you leave.
By doing these actions in the expressed sequence, it may be the difference between life and death. Being able to save a life is quite possibly the greatest gift you can ever give someone. So read and be prepared if you are called upon to help the injured. Do not pull out your phone to expose them during their time of suffering; instead, pull out all your skills and apply them to help save a life.
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