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What to do after a
By ALVA RAY
f You are driving peace-
ful)- down the hill from
your home to the news-
agent's to buy the Sunday
paper. Suddenly a young-
ster in an old-model sedan
comes racing out of a side
street on your left.
You desperately slam on
the brakes, swerve across
the street to your right,
and even as you do you
know he's still going to
cra-h into you?
"This is it," you think.
The crash of metal and
breaking glass comes first. The
shook of impact comes next.
Tin- steering wheel rams against
your chest, and then the right
side of your head bangs
against the door. You black
out for a few seconds.
Like the majority of road
ac< ¡lents, this one has occurred
within ten minutes' driving
tinn* of your home.
Allow yourself a few moments to think
- then act effectually, step by step
IN the British Navy, "The Still" is
piped immediately a crisis occurs.
The enforcement of a short time of
physical inaction gives everyone a
chance to think of the most intelligent
way to meet the emergency.
Practising this discipline in private life
can pay off for you, too. Just what should
you do after the crash, whether you are
personally involved or one of the first at
the scene? *
FIRST: Switch off the ignition. This
helps prevent fire. It often begins in the
wiring under the dash or bonnet. Dirt
may be used to smother the flames if no
extinguisher is available. Disconnect the
battery, being careful that no hot wire
causes a spark.
SECOND: Send reliable volunteers to
call police, doctor (if needed), and ambu-
lance.
THIRD: See to it that approaching
traffic in both directions is flagged down.
Many a simple road accident becomes a
multiple tragedy when oncoming cars
plough into the disabled cars, and some-
times into rescuers. One rescue worker was
knocked down at night when he stood in
front of, and accidentally obscured, the rear
lights of the stationary car.
FOURTH: Don't haul the victims out of
their cars. This will be your first impulse.
Don't do it.
Moving an injured person is a job for
skilled professionals. It is easy to displace
broken bones. Turning a person who has
a broken rib may result in his lung being
punctured; tugging at someone whose back
is broken may result in his death.
Only if it is essential to prevent further
damage should an injured person be moved.
If fire has started in the car, first try to
put it out rather than shift the injured.
If he has been thrown to the roadway,
cover him with a coat or blanket, and
protect him from oncoming traffic.
FIFTH: Never give an injured person
anything to eat or drink. Many people feel
that a few sips of brandy or water can
do no harm. In certain circumstances they
can.
SIXTH: If the driver is trapped behind
the steering-wheel he can often be released
by operating the seat catch and easing his
seat back a few inches.
SEVEN: Gentle loosening of tight collars,
belts, or ties without moving the victim
can help his breathing. The four cardinal
rules for the treatment of shock are
Warmth, Air, Rest, and Doctor. WA.R.D.
treatment applied by the novice should
include gently placing a rug or coat over
the injured.
EIGHTH: Use a heavy pad of clean
cloth to press against the sites of bleeding
and slow it down. It would be helpful if
everyone at some time made it his busi-
ness to seek out an ex-nurse or an ambulance
officer to demonstrate techniques of apply
ing pressure to pressure points of arm and
leg to stop bleeding.
A person may bleed to death in two
minutes if the flow is not stanched. If
the skull is fractured, heavy pressure against
the injury is best avoided.
NINTH: Comfort the injured person in
a matter-of-fact way. Say the doctor is
coming soon. Never say someone is dead
or shockingly injured.
A girl of 15 was trapped in an English
train crash for several hours. For much of
that time a middle-aged man held her hand
and talked to her, sensibly and calmly.
In after years she said, "I've never for-
gotten the comfort of that man's hand and
voice."
TENTH: Experts say that many driving
accidents occur because of faulty personal
attitudes of drivers. The classic case of
"an accident looking for somewhere to
happen" is the man who, after a fight
with his wife, flings out of the house, into
his car, and off to the club to "cool down."
Heaven help car or pedestrian in his way.
Some teenagers try to prove themselves
"men" behind the wheel, to find their own
limits.
Sydney's largest maternity hospital re-
ported recently that whereas no mother
had died in childbirth during the preceding
12 months, two had been killed in road
smashes which occurred while frantic
fathers-to-be were speeding them to hospital.
When Emotion sits behind the driving
wheel, Danger is his inseparable travelling
companion. Perhaps to the saying "Don't
mix drink and driving" can be added,
"Don't mix emotion and driving."
As things stand now, it seems that it is
not so much lack of skill but lack of
(good) will that can kill.
Now test your driving maturity
TRAFFIC experts consider that human error is responsible for most
accidents. Your attitude toward other people plays a big part in
deciding whether you drive safely. Test your "driving maturity" on these
questions. Score 1 for "Often," 0 for "Seldom or Never."
Often
1: When you are involved
in a prang, do you shout
abuse at the other driver?
2: Do you always try to be
first away when the traffic
lights turn green?
3: When a ball rolls out on
the road ahead of your car,
do you keep driving at the
same pace, although you
know a child may run after
it?
4: Do you think it is
always the other driver who
makes the mistakes?
5: Do you nose your car
across a pedestrian crossing
in front of people crossing?
6: When another car tries
to overtake you do you put
on speed?_
I Seldom
or
Never
Seldom
7: Do you consider all
women drivers worse (or
better) than all men drivers?
8: When the car ahead is
driving too slowly for your
taste, do you hang inches
behind his rear bumper?
9: Do you push your way
through intersections?
10: Do you think it is
entirely up to elderly pedes-
trians and young children to
keep out of your way?
11 : Do you feel envious of
owners of swanky new cars
and contemptuous of "bomb"
owners?
12: If you have never been
involved in' a road accident,
do you consider this is en-
tirely due to your skill as a
driver and not partly to for-
tunate circumstances?
Often
1 9 or over? Your temperament makes you
a driving hazard. Over 6? Grow up a
bit. Under 3? You're responsible, mature.
One sure way to start an argument is.,
to ask your husband or wife to answer
these questions for you!
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