Car wreck response--are you ready?
Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2018 10:25 pm
This should probably go in the emergency preparedness section but nobody goes down there. So...
Driving home today on the freeway, truck in front of me starts driving erratically, meandering the far left lane then veering back to the right. Truck then heads off into the right lane shoulder, still meandering, then hits the embankment, is rejected back across the two lanes (fortunately not into traffic, I'd already slowed down and hit the hazards to warn others behind me), teebones the center railing and flips onto its side in the left median facing traffic. I pull over, pass my daughter the cell phone, tell her to call 911 and STAY IN THE CAR!!!
I approach the truck, it's 5:30ish and getting pretty dark. I note the oncoming traffic is slowing down, realize I'm wearing a black fleece but have a white dress shit on underneath so take it off so as not to be invisible. I get to the truck having no idea what I'm going to find after it's had two solid head on collisions, one of which lifted it into the air, spun it around and landed it on its side. The two people are alive, conscious and panicking, motioning to the door lying on the dirt trying to get it open. Brains don't work (very well) during trauma. I check gas odors and flame having no real desire for anyone to get blown up. I tap on the front windshield to let them know I'm there and try to get the female passenger to get the window down. Neither speak English and my Spanish is limited to ordering beer and saying thanks. Guy pulls alongside me and asks if an interpreter is needed. I say yes and he pulls off past the wreck.
He notes the broken out window from the rear and starts talking to them, calmly. Another lady has appeared next to me and says she's a nurse in training. Then another man appears.We get the passenger door open up in the air. Interpreter guy has managed to get them calmed down enough to realize they need to get their seatbelts off and gets them out the back window. Both parties are mobile, somewhat coherent and no obvious injuries. About this time, the first fireman shows up. I tell him what I saw, tell him it looked like the driver likely lost consciousness (brake lights never even flickered on) and tell him my daughter is in the car on the shoulder and I need to either get her off the freeway or get my car wedged up into a more secure spot. He sends me on my way.
I had no idea what to expect as I got to the truck. Thankfully, injuries were minimal and I didn't need to practice any of my rudimentary bleed control. Things I fucked up: 1) that flashlight in the center console would have been real nice to have in my hand, 2) a bright yellow reflective safety vest should be in my door pocket (I've intended to put one there for years but hadn't--I'll be ordering one for both cars this weekend), 3) I didn't have a way to break a windshield if that had been necessary, 4) my knife, usually in my pocket, was in my gym bag, 5) I exposed my daughter to risk by parking in the median but I couldn't not stop, 6) my blowout kit (tourniquet, etc., was at home in my range bag)--while it wasn't needed and things can be improvised, it should have been in my car. Finally, my thought process was muddled and lack of ability to communicate didn't help. I'll never know their names and I wish them the best recovery.
Driving home today on the freeway, truck in front of me starts driving erratically, meandering the far left lane then veering back to the right. Truck then heads off into the right lane shoulder, still meandering, then hits the embankment, is rejected back across the two lanes (fortunately not into traffic, I'd already slowed down and hit the hazards to warn others behind me), teebones the center railing and flips onto its side in the left median facing traffic. I pull over, pass my daughter the cell phone, tell her to call 911 and STAY IN THE CAR!!!
I approach the truck, it's 5:30ish and getting pretty dark. I note the oncoming traffic is slowing down, realize I'm wearing a black fleece but have a white dress shit on underneath so take it off so as not to be invisible. I get to the truck having no idea what I'm going to find after it's had two solid head on collisions, one of which lifted it into the air, spun it around and landed it on its side. The two people are alive, conscious and panicking, motioning to the door lying on the dirt trying to get it open. Brains don't work (very well) during trauma. I check gas odors and flame having no real desire for anyone to get blown up. I tap on the front windshield to let them know I'm there and try to get the female passenger to get the window down. Neither speak English and my Spanish is limited to ordering beer and saying thanks. Guy pulls alongside me and asks if an interpreter is needed. I say yes and he pulls off past the wreck.
He notes the broken out window from the rear and starts talking to them, calmly. Another lady has appeared next to me and says she's a nurse in training. Then another man appears.We get the passenger door open up in the air. Interpreter guy has managed to get them calmed down enough to realize they need to get their seatbelts off and gets them out the back window. Both parties are mobile, somewhat coherent and no obvious injuries. About this time, the first fireman shows up. I tell him what I saw, tell him it looked like the driver likely lost consciousness (brake lights never even flickered on) and tell him my daughter is in the car on the shoulder and I need to either get her off the freeway or get my car wedged up into a more secure spot. He sends me on my way.
I had no idea what to expect as I got to the truck. Thankfully, injuries were minimal and I didn't need to practice any of my rudimentary bleed control. Things I fucked up: 1) that flashlight in the center console would have been real nice to have in my hand, 2) a bright yellow reflective safety vest should be in my door pocket (I've intended to put one there for years but hadn't--I'll be ordering one for both cars this weekend), 3) I didn't have a way to break a windshield if that had been necessary, 4) my knife, usually in my pocket, was in my gym bag, 5) I exposed my daughter to risk by parking in the median but I couldn't not stop, 6) my blowout kit (tourniquet, etc., was at home in my range bag)--while it wasn't needed and things can be improvised, it should have been in my car. Finally, my thought process was muddled and lack of ability to communicate didn't help. I'll never know their names and I wish them the best recovery.
Kudos, you were the first one on scene and started things moving! Sharp thinking, some people would have just driven on and maybe called 911. The translator was invaluable and the nurse trainee probably helped by doing a quick physical assessment. Thanks for the reminder on the yellow vest, I have to put mine in the car.
Maybe a couple of these would be good to have inside the cabin. Much less expensive than a Kershaw, so wouldn't mind if it got left at an accident scene. The TUV doesn't mess around with cheap equipment, so that's a plus, I think.