(Because Bad Things Happen)
OK, so someone *glares in the general direction of the other occupants in the house* ate all the cookies that were meant for Santa. And someone else *continues glaring* decided that right now would be an excellent time to clean the pool / wash the dog / do literally anything other than wrap presents, leaving it all to you. A travesty. We know.
Of course, bad things happen all the time, and the Christmas period is no different. But when we say ‘bad things’, we are generally referring to stuff that is a little more dire than the standard Christmas woes. Wrapping paper cuts aside.
In line with this, and since all any of us really want for Christmas is to make it home safely to our loved ones (disdainful cat included – what did you expect, you called him Mr McFluffyButty) we thought it may be worth it to provide a little ‘list’ (Santa loves those) on what to do in case of a roadside emergency.
What to do if you witness a roadside incident or emergency
So, there you are, on your way to wherever you’re going when suddenly in the opposite lane, unspooling in front of your very eyes in what seems to be slow motion, is a car accident. Here’s what we need you to do:
- Remain calm. We know how it goes. An actual life or death thing happens to you, or adjacent to you, and your legs turn to jelly and brain to mush (no offence). There’s a scientific term for this, it’s called ‘freaking the F out’ and it’s okay. Everyone does it. That said… please do try to remain calm, whatever that means to you, and then continue through the following points, as needed.
- We need you to report the incident to someone that can help, immediately. There are a number of roadside assistance and emergency contacts available, some with 24 hour numbers, and others linked to panic apps and GPS locators, so you do you in this regard.
FYI, in case it isn’t clear, our ‘call us In Case of Anything’ offer extends into instances like this too. (The only caveat: within the areas we operate).
- Special note. Your first responder is going to need your help in order to help. This is what they’d like you to provide:
- Date and time (we don’t need no fake newsers)
- Where you are (cue GPS location, see point 3)
- What has happened (incident type)
- Is medical assistance required? (yes/no)
- A good course of action if you are on a community safety/security group, is to send a pin drop of the current location where the emergency occurred. Here’s a quick play by play on that process:
- Firstly, please pull over if you haven’t already. We don’t want you to have an accident too.
- Open WhatsApp. Send a message that ‘assistance is needed’, and make sure to break it down with the above information.
- Send your Current Location. i.e. the scene of the accident or emergency. Don’t send the Live Location please, because if you move away from the accident for whatever reason, then it takes the pin with it. Send your Current Location.
- In addition, please wait (just a few more seconds) for the ‘accuracy’ to fall into the single digits in the KM department before you hit send.
- Helping people is our thing. It’s what we do, and we appreciate it when other people help people too, but know this, it’s important. If you don’t feel safe, are unable to assist for whatever reason, or there are other people already there helping, you can sit this one out. But we (or other law enforcement and emergency support providers) may want to chat to you about what you saw, so bare that in mind.
- Side note if you are actively helping (and thank you for that by the way) – please don’t provide medical support unless you are qualified to do so, or unless absolutely necessary. It’s generally best to wait for the medical team, who are already on their way.
- Yes, you may need to make a statement of some sort, especially if you were the first person there.
What to do if you are involved in a roadside incident or emergency
Now, alternatively, if you are the driver in an incident; maybe you’ve just run out of fuel or bust a tire in a pothole – sadly, on our roads, not unusual – here are some handy tips:
- Keep an emergency kit in your car. We’re talking flashlight, first aid kit, jumper cables, some water (to drink) and the bits and pieces needed to change a tyre. Also… please know how to change a tyre.
- Make sure you’re on the side of the road, and not causing an obstruction. Also please make sure that your vehicle is visible. So hazards on.
- We don’t want to freak you out or anything, but we need to caution you to exercise a whole heap of, well, caution. So, whether you are a couple hundred meters away from home or a couple hundred km, please lock your doors and remain vigilant. And call those emergency contacts on your phone for help straight away. We’re coming.
- Finally, if you were in an accident or emergency situation and are able to make the call for help yourself, please refer to points 1 through 3 in the section above.
And that’s it, we made a list (we checked it a couple times)… it’s all very Santa Safety Claus of us. Please bookmark it and show it to your family and friends. This stuff is important, any time of year, and it will make us all a little safer out there (and help us help each other too).
Be cool. Be kind. Be awesome. Enjoy your holidays. Call us, In Case Of Anything (but no, we can’t help with the wrapping ;)).
