Fatal Accident Before ATrack Day
06-18-2005, 11:50 PM
#17
Firstly, Excellent good samaritan work. Secondly, I'd like to expound on something from an emergency medicine perspective. I'm not trying to make people doctors but I'd like to emphasize the following...
One very important thing to consider that hasn't been mentioned yet (and may not have been an issue in this case) is to first protect yourself when trying to assist at an accident scene. Alot of emotion and adrenalin push people to rush immediately to an accident scene but secondary accidents occur all the time and are one of the major reasons why EMS and police get killed at accident scenes. Rubbernecking and people not paying attention can force other cars right into the heart of the accident and take out the bystanders and samaritans real quick. My firefighting friends say one of the big reasons for having a large rig show up at accidents is to block traffic from "re-entering" the accident scene. Stay in your car and wait until it is safe to get out (just like at the track).
Waiting is okay because there is a classic a "golden hour" when it comes to major trauma. What that means is that either things happen that kill you in seconds/minutes (spinal cord injury, aorta rupture, major head trauma) OR you tend to live for about an hour before the other things that can happen kill you (liver rupture, spleen rupture, lung injury, etc). The point is that taking a few minutes to allow for a safe accident scene to develop shouldn't make much of a difference. People who are dead when you get there weren't likely to be saved anyways, and the people who are still alive most likely have injuries that can wait a few minutes.
Exceptions always apply but aren't necessary to get into.
Be safe out there, and remember that a highway accident is dangerous even for the pros...
Not taking anything away from Tim. Again, great work!
One very important thing to consider that hasn't been mentioned yet (and may not have been an issue in this case) is to first protect yourself when trying to assist at an accident scene. Alot of emotion and adrenalin push people to rush immediately to an accident scene but secondary accidents occur all the time and are one of the major reasons why EMS and police get killed at accident scenes. Rubbernecking and people not paying attention can force other cars right into the heart of the accident and take out the bystanders and samaritans real quick. My firefighting friends say one of the big reasons for having a large rig show up at accidents is to block traffic from "re-entering" the accident scene. Stay in your car and wait until it is safe to get out (just like at the track).
Waiting is okay because there is a classic a "golden hour" when it comes to major trauma. What that means is that either things happen that kill you in seconds/minutes (spinal cord injury, aorta rupture, major head trauma) OR you tend to live for about an hour before the other things that can happen kill you (liver rupture, spleen rupture, lung injury, etc). The point is that taking a few minutes to allow for a safe accident scene to develop shouldn't make much of a difference. People who are dead when you get there weren't likely to be saved anyways, and the people who are still alive most likely have injuries that can wait a few minutes.
Exceptions always apply but aren't necessary to get into.
Be safe out there, and remember that a highway accident is dangerous even for the pros...
Not taking anything away from Tim. Again, great work!
06-19-2005, 01:15 AM
#18
Three Wheelin'
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Jim: That's a very good point. Before I stopped and got out of my car, I checked my rear view mirror to see if he was going to stop and he did.
Also, sadly, the second person I thought was dead at the scene died later at the hospital. My condolences again.
Also, sadly, the second person I thought was dead at the scene died later at the hospital. My condolences again.
