We as humans drive around in cars every day, yet we do not realize that the threat of an automobile accident happening around us is very real. There are nearly 5.25 million automobile accidents per year, resulting in around 43,000 deaths. Indeed, the risk of getting in an automobile accident is very real. But what happens when you’re not involved in the accident, but you witness it? Here are some tips on what to do if you happen to witness an automobile accident.
First, you will want to pull up to the scene of the accident. Make sure to park at least 20 feet or more away from the accident. You want to make sure that police or emergency medical services can park as close to the accident as they need to. Run over to the scene and check to make sure if anyone is injured. If people are unresponsive or unconscious, do NOT move them. Moving someone who is injured could cause nerve or spinal damage which could result in paralysis.
The next step is to call 911. When the dispatcher answers, you must be prepared to give as much information about the accident as you can. Be prepared with the approximate address of the accident, what seems to have happened, and how many people need help.
If possible, try to move the cars involved in the accident out of the way of the lanes of traffic. If the cars are obscuring the lanes, this could just lead to more accidents.
Observing a car accident can be scary. But following these simple steps will help you know what to do in case you do witness an automobile accident.
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/awfulshot/144283351/">Travis Hornung</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>