Road accidents are very devastating events that lead to some very grave injuries and even death. In Nigeria, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) reported that they were in 826 accidents recorded nationwide in a month. In some cases, people who die from road accidents do not die at the impact of the car crash but die minutes or even hours later due to lack of proper care and attention. The distance between the nearest hospital and the scene of the crash may be very far and people who gather to help the accident victims may not know what to do to help them. That is why having a proper idea of first aid measures to take after a road accident is very important.
Giving first aid treatment immediately after an accident can help save lives and even prevent worse injuries or things like an amputation. One does not have to be a doctor or nurse or an emergency responder before they can give first aid. They just need to have the knowledge of what to do.Â
Here, we would be looking at some first aid treatment you can give to victims of road accidents.Â
1. Call A Hospital
The first thing you should do before you even start attempting to help is to call the nearest hospital as soon as you spot a car crash. Understand that first aid is temporary treatment and that the victims would have to be rushed to the hospital after. So, between the time that the ambulance arrives, that is when you should perform the first aid.Â
2. Check For Seriously Injured People
Next, you should check for seriously injured people. Not every car crash results in serious injuries. The passengers could have sustained just minor bruises and scratches. But there is no way you can know that unless you assess the state of the victims. Usually, seriously injured people are those who find it difficult to respond to calls. They may also be bleeding profusely and be groaning from immense pain. These are the people you give immediate attention to.Â
3. Do Not Attempt To Move The Victims
One thing you should avoid doing is trying to move the injured people. Moving or changing their positions would only cause more damage than you intended. Leave them in the exact position they are in. Instead, clear any obstruction or anything that could be causing discomfort to them. You can loosen their ties or open their shirts. But do not try to change the position of the people.Â
4. First Aid Measures
There are some first aid measures you can try to help keep the person alive. If the person has a problem with breathing you can try mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-nose resuscitation (also known as CPR) to get the person’s breathing under control. But you should only do this if you know how to.
5. Stop The Bleeding
One other thing you can do is to help stop the bleeding. You can tie a piece of cloth around the bleeding arm or leg with pressure. This would help get the bleeding under control. If you have a first aid box around you, you can attempt to sterilize the wounds with spirit, but only do this for minor bruises and cuts.Â
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Collins Nwokolo is a human physiologist, writer and health enthusiast. He loves writing helpful articles on health and fitness, which he enjoys sharing with everyone.
