Post Crash Advice

Post Crash Special‘POST CRASH ADVICE’
February 2025 

1.   Introduction

 Highways report that in Gloucestershire there are annually around 1,000 personal injury traffic collisions.
(This will be an under-reporting as many collisions do not come to police attention).
Therefore, there is a strong possibility that at some time we may witness or come across a traffic collision.  

 2020 British Red Cross survey found that nearly half of drivers (47%) were unsure how to react in an emergency. Additionally, 59% stated they did not feel confident in providing first aid at the scene.

Mature drivers with age related health issues may be more vulnerable if they try to give support at a crash scene. For some the stress could trigger a medical episode.

However, with forethought and care mature drivers can still be of great assistance.

This document summarises content from a Gloucestershire Older Drivers Forum community webinar. These webinars take place at 10:00 on the last Saturday of the month, except August, and last one hour.

If you would like to attend a webinar, go to www.olderdriversforum.com/gloucestershire-events/ where dates and registration details are updated regularly.

Please share this information with anyone you think it could be of benefit.

2.   Vehicle Preparedness   

Below is a list of essential equipment we should have in our car.
These could be lifesavers at the scene of a crash.   
  • Insurance and breakdown service documents in your glove compartment with the telephone numbers stored on your phone
  • Warm blanket, water, energy bar, mobile phone charger, torch, warning triangle, first aid kit and high visibility bibs
  • Emergency car glass hammer with built in seatbelt cutting blade or a car escape tool. If you must break a car window hit the outer edge as this is the weakest point of the glass   
  • If you have a hidden disability wear a Sunflower lanyard and have a sticker on your car. This will alert the emergency services that you may need a little more help
  • Whats3Words app on your mobile phone. This identifies your location within three metres by three words. These can be given to the emergency services which is helpful on rural roads with few obvious landmarks
  • Lions club ‘message in a bottle’ in your glove compartment with your personal and medical details 

3.    POST CRASH CARE   

If you have witnessed or are first on the scene of a crash, it may be a big shock.
Your priority must be to take care and not put yourself or your passengers at risk and potentially escalate the situation.

3.1 RURAL ROADS

Arrival on scene 

  • Stop in a safe place. This may be before or after the crash but not on a corner, brow of a hill or a narrowing section of road
  • Watch out for hidden ditches and soft verges
  • Leave plenty of space for emergency vehicles. Ambulance and fire brigade services will want to get as close to the crash site as possible
  • Turn on your hazard lights
  • Be aware of other vehicles arriving on the scene. On roads with speed limits above 30mph it is difficult to gauge the closing speed of incoming vehicles

Alerting Emergency Services  

  • Identify where you are using the Whats3Word app, your sat nav or activating the SOS system in your car, if it is so equipped.
  • Then call 999 or 112. 112 is an emergency phone number that can be used free of charge on mobile phones across Europe. (The SOS system automatically connects you to a control room that will then connect you with the emergency services)
  • Once connected give as much information as you can about the crash scenario, location, crash setting, number and type of vehicles involved, and number of casualties

Intervention Roles    

  • Decide if you are fit enough to do more, if not get out of your car and stand in a safe position. If you have a disability stay in the vehicle with your seatbelt on    
  • If you can give more support and are a couple decide who is going to do what. The person with the most recent first aid training should be assigned to go to the crash site, whilst the other will place the warning triangle to warn oncoming traffic
  • Gather essential equipment, warning triangle, first aid kit, glass hammer and blanket
  • Take care when placing a warning triangle. Once the triangle is set make sure to walk back on the side of the road toward oncoming traffic

 Approaching Crash Site      

  • Take care of risks such as spilt oil, broken glass, and damaged power supplies.

Also, if the vehicle is carrying any hazardous materials which will be indicated by warning signs on the vehicle            

  • Watch out for casualties wandering about in a state of shock. Guide them to a place of safety and get them to sit down. If in shock they could pass out and injure themselves in a fall
  • Do not be tempted to sit them in your car. If they have a seizure, then your car could be damaged as the casualty is extracted by the emergency services
  • Make sure no one is smoking as there is a risk of fire from spilt fuel
  • Check the car engine is turned off. Cars with a keyless entry system will have a stop/start button       

 Electric Vehicle Caution          

  •  Stay clear of the battery which will be under the floor of the car. This is in case the battery is damaged which could lead to an electric shock or fire         
  • Do not attempt to deal with a battery fire. This can only be suppressed by fire brigade specialists

 Casualty Assessment       

  • How many casualties are there? Are they trapped? What is the severity of their injuries? If available ask your partner or a bystander to ring 999 or 112 with an update. If a casualty is trapped the fire brigade will be required             
  • Other vital activities of bystanders. Ask them to take as many pictures as possible of the crash scene and number plates of cars on site

First Aid       

  • Check the quiet casualties first. Those calling out in pain are conscious. The quiet casualties maybe more seriously injured
  • We should all be trained in first aid as a vital life skill including how to get an initial reaction from a casualty – shout, check and open airways, if breathing has stopped delivering CPR, and how to stem heavy bleeding
  • Do not move the injured from a vehicle, unless they are in immediate danger such as the car might catch fire
  • Remove motorcyclists’ crash helmets. This is new advice and is in case CPR is required.
  • Keep them warm
  • Stay with them and reassure them help is on the way     

Preserving the Evidence        

  • Do not move vehicles or debris unless absolutely necessary. The area may be declared a crime scene and the forensic investigation team need untampered evidence   

 Arrival of Emergency Services           

  • Stay on the scene
  • Give your contact details and mobile/ dashcam images

3.2 MOTORWAYS/DUAL CARRIAGEWAYS

 High Speed Traffic Risk             

  • Do not stop
  • Make a note of nearest location marker

Alerting Emergency Service 

  • Continue to the next exit/service station     
  • Call the emergency services
  • If on the opposite carriageway do not slow. Slowing could trigger a multi vehicle collision with yet more casualties  

 3.3   POST CRASH SHOCK

Self-Care   

  • Be aware after your experience you may be in shock, the impact of which will vary from person to person       
  • Drive home with great care
  • If you experience long-term emotional impact, seek professional help

4.   KEY ADVICE

If you are first on the scene of a crash do not feel you have to be a hero.
Providing prompt accurate information and staying out of harm’s way will be very helpful for the emergency services.
This will enable them to respond quickly and effectively so that everyone involved receives the care they need as soon as possible

5.   USEFUL CONTACTS

________________________________

This post-crash advice was researched and produced by the Older Drivers Forum (ODF) for Gloucestershire with the support and advice from ODF chair and founder Rob Heard MBE and Simon ‘Rossy’ Ross MBE to whom we are very grateful.

We are a voluntary organisation who operate under the charitable status of the Gloucestershire Older Persons Association (charity number: 1124977)

To donate to support our work please email odfglos@gmail.com for details.

Thank you.