Witnessing or being involved in a car accident can be disorienting, but if you’re in a position to provide help to those who may be seriously injured, you should have a basic idea of what to do. Here are some first aid basics that you should know in the event of a car accident.
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1. Evaluate Your Own Injuries
If you were involved in the accident, it’s important to evaluate your own injuries before helping anyone else. If you cannot move or you are dizzy, you may need to stay put. However, if you are mobile and can think clearly, you may be able to assist others.
2. Evaluate Who Else May Be Injured
Look around the vehicle for others who may be hurt. Typically, the person who is the quietest after an accident is the person who is most severely injured, or may not be breathing. Check if people are bleeding and from where, and ask people their names. If they can respond, a serious head injury is less likely.
3. Check for a Pulse
If someone in the vehicle has been critically injured and is unresponsive, check to see if they are breathing and if they have a pulse.
4. Contact Local Authorities
Call 911 as soon as you are able to get a basic idea of the injuries you are dealing with. You will need to be able to communicate what is going on and how you and the people around you may be injured in order to get instructions about to do.
5. Follow the Instructions of the 911 Operator
When you speak to a 911 operator, you will be asked many questions about how many people are in the car and the condition of each person. You may receive instructions on who to help first and how to best help that person based on their condition. The 911 operator may instruct you on how to perform CPR, or to turn a person who is vomiting or bleeding from the mouth on their side. Stay with the operator on the phone until help arrives.
Always get medical assistance for you and those who were involved in a car accident right away, even if you don’t feel as though the injuries were serious. Shock is powerful and can keep you and others from feeling the true extent of their injuries. Contact Chalker Injury Law today to learn more about car accident first aid tips and how to get compensation after being involved in a crash by calling (678) 319-9991.
