July 2, 2015

How To Address Roadside Collisions

July 2, 2015

Post

How To Address Roadside Collisions

a drivers perspective — A drivers perspective: Sean

By Sean W

Collisions can be unnerving for several reasons. Assuming you are not one of the people in the crash itself, there are ways in which you should still be handling situations involving car crashes, large or small.

If you happen to see a major collision as it is happening, find somewhere safe to pull over and assess the situation. If there is gas leaking, get people away from the vehicles as that can be quite dangerous. If there isn’t or once you’ve made sure people are away from the vehicles and off the road, make sure that no one is injured. If there are hazards like gasoline or injured people, call 911 and explain the situation. If not, ensure that the people involved are okay and give them contact information so you can act as a witness, especially if you saw who was at fault. Being a witness can be extremely helpful to the people involved and should be done no matter how small the collision.

Assuming the collision has occurred and you are witnessing the aftermath only, the protocol is pretty straightforward; keep driving and don’t fixate on whatever’s happening on the side of the road. Ever notice all of traffic slowing down anytime something slightly interesting is happening on the road? This is not only inconvenient for everybody but focusing on the vehicles and/or people dealing with a collision, for instance, can be dangerous. Acknowledge the situation but do not make it a point of interest for your focus.

Anne Marie Hayes

I am an advocate for driving safety, armed with a passion for educationg and promoting safe driving habits to teens, parents, and seniors alike. I am a member of the board of directions of NOYS (National Organizations for Youth Safety) and a member of GHSA (Governor's Highway Safety Association), as well as a member of 7 international driving safety organizations. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from York University, and I am a certified driving instructor. I am also the author of "3 keys to keeping Your Teen Alive: Lessons for Surviving the First Year of Driving." which provides parents and their teens the tools to keep them safe while driving.

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