Incidents, accidents and emergencies

• Its useful to carry a first aid kit, a warning triangle and a fire extinguisher in your car for use in an emergency.
• Breakdowns

  If your tyre bursts or you get a puncture while your driving:

  • hold your steering wheel firmly
  • pull up slowly or roll to a stop at the side of the road
• Breakdowns - Emergency happening on the motorway

  Try to get out onto the hard shoulder and call for help from an emergency telephone. Marker posts show you the way to the nearest phone. The police or Highways Agency will answer and ask you

  • the number of the phone, which will tell the services where you are
  • details on yourself and your vehicle
  • whether you belong to a motoring organisation
• A person who has a disability that affects their mobility may display a 'help' pennant if they can't reach an emergency phone
• If you break down on a level crossing:

  • get everyone out of the vehicle and clear of the crossing
  • call the signal operator from the phone provided
  • only move your vehicle if the operator tells you to do so
• If your waiting at a level crossing and the red light signal continues to flash after a train has gone by, you must wait, as another train may be coming
• Warning others of a breakdown or incident

  Use your hazard warning lights:

  • if you need to suddenly slow down or stop on a motorway or high - speed road because of an incident or hazard ahead; as soon as the traffic behind you has reacted to your hazard lights, you should turn them off
  • when your vehicle has broken down and is temporarily obstructing traffic
• Warning others of a breakdown or incident

  If you have a warning triangle, place it at least 45 metres (147 feet) behind your vehicle.

  Never place a warning triangle on a motorway: there's too much danger from passing traffic
• Warning others of a breakdown or incident

  If your driving on a motorway and you see something fall from another vehicle, or if anything falls from your own vehicle, stop at the next emergency telephone and report the hazard to the police. Don't try to retrieve it yourself
• safety in tunnels

  You need to take extra care driving in a tunnel because:

  • when you enter the tunnel, visability is suddenly reduced
  • the confined space can make incidents difficult to deal with
• Safety in tunnels

  Before driving through a tunnel, remove your sunglasses if your wearing them and switch on dipped headlights.

  Look out for signs that warn of accidents or congestion. Signs may also display a radio frequency that you should tune your radio to
• Safety in tunnels

  If you vehicle is involved in an incident or breaks down in a tunnel

  • switch off your radio
  • put your hazard warning lights on
  • go and call for help immediately from your nearest emergency telephone point
• Safety in tunnels

  If you vehicle catches fire while your driving through a tunnel, drive it out of the tunnel if you can do so without causing further danger. If this isn't possible then you should

  • stop
  • switch on your hazard warning lights
  • call for help at the nearest emergency point
• Stopping at an incident

  If your the first to arrive at the scene of an incident or crash, stop and warn other traffic. Switch on your hazard warning lights.

  • make sure that the emergency services are called as soon as possible
  • ensure that the engines of any vehicles at the scene are switched off
  • move uninjured people away from the scene
• 3YE

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  A vehicle carrying dangerous goods will display an orange label or a hazard warning plate on the back. If a vehicle carrying something hazardous is involved in an incident, report what the label says when you call the emergency services
• Helping others and giving first aid

  Even if you don't know any first aid, you can help any injured person by:

  • keeping them warm and comfortable
  • keeping them calm by talking to them reassuringly
  • making sure they are not left alone
• Helping others and giving first aid

  Don't move an injured person if the area is safe. Only move them if they in obvious danger, and then with extreme care, if a motorcyclist is involved, never remove their helmet unless its essential in order to keep them alive, because removing the helmet could cause more serious injury
• Three vital prorities

  1. Ensure a clear airway
  2. Check for breathing
  3. Try to stop any heavy bleeding
• If someone is unconscious, follow the DR ABC code

  Danger - Check for danger

  Response - Ask the casualty questions and gently shake the shoulders for a response

  Airway - Check the airway is clear

  Breathing - Check for breathing for up to 10 seconds

  Compressions - Using two hands in the centre of the chest, press down 5 - 6cm at a rate of 100 per minute. Use one hand, gently for a small child (two fingers for an infant)
• If the casualty isn't breathing, consider giving mouth to mouth resuscitation

  • check and, if necessary, clear their mouth and airway
  • gently tilt their head back as far as possible
  • Pinch their nostrils together
  • Place your mouth over theirs. Give two breaths, each lasting second
  • Continue with cycles of 30 chest compressions and two breaths until medical help arrives
• If they are bleeding, apply firm pressure to the wound. If the casualty is bleeding from a limb, raise it as long as its not broken. This will help reduce the bleeding.

  People at the scene may be suffering from shock: sings include a rapid pulse, sweating and pale grey skin
• To help someone suffering from shock:

  • reassure them completely
  • keep them warm
  • make them as comfortable as you can
  • avoid moving them unless its necessary
  • make sure they not left alone
• If someone is suffering from burns

  • douse the burns thoroughly with cool non - toxic liquid for at least 10 minutes
  • don't remove anything sticking to the burn
• Reporting the incident

  If another vehicle is involved, find out

  • who owns the vehicle
  • the make and registration number of the vehicle
  • the other driver's name, address and telephone number and details of their insurance
• Reporting an incident

  Following an incident for at any other time, the police may ask you for:

  • your insurance certificate
  • the MOT certificate for the vehicle your driving
  • your driving license