Bringing bad news

Capri

Season of goodwill /joy etc but a few stories in the Indo of tragedy on Christmas morning got me to thinking that one of the most unpleasant tasks overall is calling to people / parents with news of a death / serious injury. I'm sure it affects the Members as well over time

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/kind-loving-young-lad-killed-in-christmas-bike-tragedy-34314748.html


http://www.independent.ie/life/family/family-features/fiona-gratzer-on-losing-her-husband-uwe-in-a-traffic-accident-he-walked-out-the-door-and-didnt-come-home-the-shock-was-profound-34298842.html

Potential-Monke

You never know how someone will react. You could get stone faced silence, waterfalls of tears, extreme anger, some people have even turned on the member bringing the sad news. It's not an easy thing to do, especially if you're emotional yourself at the time. All you can do is offer as much support and information as you can, and show empathy. It also always get you thinking, what if I was this person and a Garda was telling me about a family member.

POGAN

Hardest thing you can do but two years ago my mother died ( extremely unexpected ) but Dialing 112 talking to the ambo call taker saying there really isn't anything you can do.

To then tell your brother in backseat of patrol car at 10am on Sunday morning that she was dead then see him trying to wake her up . Then travel to her brother and sisters given that news, it's hardest thing to do.

Capri

This is a grisly/reality safety movie produced by the Ohio State Highway patrol back in '59 and it's credited with the introduction of the seat belt laws in the US.

I wonder if any video/ad these days would help prevent all the needless deaths we've had over the last week, or even the Traffic Corps Forensic collision lads releasing the EXACT reasons (subject to legal proceedings/protecting the names of the parties ) for each accident so everybody can be more aware out there. (For me it automatic that I put on the belt when I've started the engine, I DON'T take calls when I'm driving(if their no. is on the phone I'll call them back) and I'm very much aware of my surroundings (I've the IAM cert.), but a lot of drivers out there are only careful when they see a marked patrol car / camera van ! )

Legendary "shock" driving safety film featuring numerous scenes of mutilated cars and injured/dead people and a voiceover lacking in compassion. Produced in cooperation with the Ohio State Highway Patrol and shown to millions of young drivers for over 40 years. CONTENT ADVISORY: Many disturbing scenes of violent deaths and accident scenes; cries of crash victims on soundtrack.

https://archive.org/details/Signal301959#

(Notice at 3.20 where a car runs the stop sign and the car on the main road barrells thru - road design and signage also plays a part in fatalities )

RainyDay

Capri wrote: »

I wonder if any video/ad these days would help prevent all the needless deaths we've had over the last week, or even the Traffic Corps Forensic collision lads releasing the EXACT reasons (subject to legal proceedings/protecting the names of the parties ) for each accident so everybody can be more aware out there. (For me it automatic that I put on the belt when I've started the engine, I DON'T take calls when I'm driving(if their no. is on the phone I'll call them back) and I'm very much aware of my surroundings (I've the IAM cert.), but a lot of drivers out there are only careful when they see a marked patrol car / camera van ! )

We have a huge tolerance for breaking traffic laws. Stand at any junction in Dublin, and count the number of drivers who go through red lights - at least one, often two, and sometimes three or four at each change of lights. Count the number of drivers on the phone - maybe one in ten in traffic, more while stopped at lights. Count the number of cars with a broken tail light or brake light - maybe one in ten again. Count the number of motorists that break the speed limit - probably four out of five.

It's really no surprise that we kill four or five people every week on the roads.

Roll on self-driving cars - hopefully they will cut the death toll significantly.

Terrontress

Unfortunately you can be the best driver in the world and it just takes an idiot sharing the same road space as you for something awful to happen. Best to always drive defensively.

Capri

Like the IAM / Hendon / Scouts - BE PREPARED (for the idiots let out for the day :rolleyes: )

One place I regularly see when I'm waiting outside the Boots for herself is outside Donnybrook Fair pedestrian lights - I think they see the green at Marlborough / Morehampton and 'miss' the red pedestrian ones (Red light cameras definitely needed here :mad: )

Capri

Handy guide for all RTA victims http://www.parcroadsafety.ie/uploads/2/8/8/8/28885317/parc_2015.pdf

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/i-told-him-i-loved-him-i-asked-him-to-stay-with-me-woman-gives-emotional-account-of-losing-husband-of-17-years-in-horror-crash-34404248.html

'I told him I loved him. I asked him to stay with me' - Woman gives emotional account of losing husband of 17 years in horror crash.....


.........Through her work with Parc, Ann says she’s been enabled to continue the search for justice. She told her story on the national airwaves today to raise awareness about a guide for families of victims following the death or serious injury of a loved one in a road traffic collision.

The guide, “Finding Your Way”, which is now in its third edition, outlines what is involved in the investigation of fatal and serious injury collisions and the legal proceedings which follow. By doing so it seeks to ease the burden on families devastated by such collisions, and it is being distributed by Garda Family Liaison Officers, as part of the assistance they provide........