What Should I Do at the Scene of a Road Traffic Accident?

Witnessing an accident can be upsetting and frightening. Here are some tips to help you cope in the event that you find yourself at the scene of a road traffic accident.

If you’re the first person to arrive on the scene of an accident, ensure that you call the emergency services. If you’re not the first person – check that someone has called the emergency services, and if they haven’t, make that call straight away.

When you contact the emergency services, you will be asked to specify which service you require – the police, fire brigade or ambulance. If the accident requires more than one service, ensure that you request that the other emergency services are notified.

Depending on where you are, it may be difficult to give an exact location of the accident spot. Give as much detail as possible about where you are. If you’re on a motorway, give the name of the road, as well as the details of the nearest motorway marker point.

While you are at the scene, make sure that you are safe at all times. Weigh up the dangers – is there a high volume of passing traffic, or a sharp bend in the road? In serious accidents, there is also a risk of electrocution, fire, chemicals and debris. If there is immediate danger, stay in a safe place and wait for assistance from the emergency services.

If there is no immediate danger, you may wish to assist in making the scene of the accident safe, or assisting injured passengers.

If there are other bystanders at the scene of the accident, you may wish to divide responsibilities: someone could warn on-coming motorists, while others can focus on assisting the injured. Any equipment you have with you could be useful, including a flashlight, a high-vis jacket, or even a warning light.

In terms of caring for injured people, if you have little medical training, focus only on making them as comfortable as possible, and offering them some reassurance. However, if someone has stopped breathing, it’s time to act – if you’re able to, get a person who isn’t breathing out of their vehicle, and perform CPR where possible. In order to ensure that you are prepared in the event of witnessing an accident, you may wish to consider taking a first aid course through an organisation such as: Red Cross, the AA or Driver First Assist.

Be prepared to provide a witness statement once the authorities arrive – any details you can offer may be useful in finding out exactly what happened.

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