Keep this important accident scene information in your car at all times

Crash survivors may still risk choking or bleeding to death. If you are the first person at a crash, you can assist until trained help arrives.

To protect yourself and the crash victim from blood-borne infections, including hepatitis B and HIV/AIDS, avoid contact with the crash victim's blood by any part of your skin that is broken (e.g. by dermatitis, sores, cuts, abrasions etc.)

Do a recognised first aid course so you will be confident to help save a life. Read this now. Keep it in your glove box and refer to it frequently.

Remember these points
1. Make the scene safe
2. See who is injured
3. Assist them
4. Send for help

• Use hazard light as warning signals.
• Turn off the ignition in crashed cars.
• Position people to warn other traffic.
• Use headlight to light the area.
• Ensure nobody smokes.
• Keep people away from fallen power lines.

• See how many are injured by looking in all the vehicles. Some people may have left their vehicles so look around for dazed and confused people.
• Check if anyone is unconscious. Shake them gently, ask questions, or give simple instructions. The victim will be unconscious if you get no response.
• Give priority to the unconscious. Clear airway and check breathing. (see section 3)
• Unconscious victims should be removed from their cars only if they are in danger of further injury and to permit life-saving first aid.
• People calling for help can at least breathe: an unconscious person could drown in vomit or blood.
• Having attended the unconscious, encourage conscious people to stay in the car - as long as there is no immediate danger - because any movement could make undetected injuries worse.
• Assess the number of injured and how they are hurt so emergency services know what they need.

• Be gentle when handling any crash victims as injuries can be made worse by rough treatment.

Open Face Helmets

• Conscious victims may remove open faced helmets themselves, otherwise leave it on.
• If the victim is unconscious:
  - turn the victim on his/her side
  - clear airway
  - check breathing.
• If breathing - leave on side.
• If not breathing - help restore it.

Full Face Helmets

• Raise the visor.
• Only remove the helmet if the victim:
  - is unconscious
  - is vomiting
  - has severe head injuries.
• Where possible, use two people to remove the helmet: one to support the victim's neck and head; the other to remove the helmet.
• Hold the victim's neck as still as possible, with your hands spread wide over the bony part of the head.
• Remove the helmet, lifting it carefully and slowly to avoid moving the neck. Force the helmet sides apart or squash the helmet lining to remove the helmet. Tilt it forward to pass over the base of the skull.

• Then - once the helmet is removed;
  - turn the victim on his/her side
  - clear airway
  - check breathing.
• If breathing - leave on side.
• If not breathing - help restore it.

• Airway - clear it.
• Breathing - help restore it.
• Circulation - stop any bleeding.

• The first priority is to ensure that his/her airway is clear. It may be necessary to remove the victim from the vehicle to do this, but he/she should be handled gently to prevent further injury.

If a person on the ground;

• Turn them to one side;
  - kneel to one side of the victim's chest
  - place one arm at right angles to the body and fold the other arm across the chest
  - bend one knee up (the same side as the folded arm), keep the other leg straight
  - grasp the hip and shoulder nearest you and, with his/her back straight, gently roll the person away from you and onto the side
  - if help is available, steady the head and neck while turning. Support broken limbs.
• Loosen clothing at neck, chest and waist.
• Tilt the head back, point the face slightly down so the tongue can fall forward allowing blood and vomit to drain.
• Remove dirt, blood, vomit or loose teeth from the mouth.
• Check for breathing. Watch for the chest to rise and fall; listen and feel for air escaping from the mouth or nose.
• If the victim is unconscious and breathing, leave him/her on the side. Make sure the airway stays clear by tilting the head back and supporting the jaw.

• If after clearing airway, the victim is not breathing, turn onto the back and start mouth-to-mouth resuscitation immediately;
  - tilt head back, support jaw, keep your fingers clear of throat (with infants and small children, support the jaw but do not tilt the head back)
  - with good mouth-to-mouth seal and your cheek sealing the victims nose, blow into the mouth until the chest rises
  - lift your mouth, turn your head to see the chest fall and listen to feel for air escaping from nose and mouth.
• If chest does not rise, check:
  - for blocked airway
  - mouth-to-mouth seal
  now, blow again harder.
• Continue mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until breathing is restored. Blow every four seconds with adults and every three seconds with children.

People trapped in the car

• Use you fingers to clear airway of anything - tongue, teeth, blood, vomit or debris - that blocks the air flow. Tilt the head back, support the jaw, and check for breathing. If necessary, restore breathing with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

• Uncover bleeding wounds. Stop bleeding by direct pressure on the wound with your hand, or a thick pad bandaged or held firmly in place. Bleeding limbs should be elevated.
• If victim says he/she feels numbness, tingling or pain near the bandaged area, the bandage is too tight: loosen it. Do not use a tourniquet.
• Do not remove foreign objects from bleeding wounds. Apply pads and bandage them around the wound. Do the same if broken bones are visible.

• Stop any bleeding.
• Comfort and reassure victims.
• Stay calm yourself. Move a conscious victim only if it is necessary for safety.
• Have someone look after the injured in case they wander off. In a dazed state a victim needs constant attention.
• Never give a victim food or drink, of any sort. You can moisten their lips with water, but never alcohol.

Tell the emergency services an ambulance is needed, also indicating:

• where the crash is, using road names, kilometer posts, signs or landmarks.
• how many are injured, what the injuries are, and if anyone is trapped.
• if fire engines, police rescue vehicle or tow truck are needed.
• if any power lines are down.

www.caddlecrash.com.au

Taken from the "Before Other Help Arrives" booklet available from Caddle Crash Repairs and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau and Australian vehicle manufacturers have combined to produce the "Before Other Help Arrives" booklet, which has been prepared with the assistance of the Australian Resuscitation Council and which is endorsed by the Australian Medical Association.