Do you stop to help at car accidents?

the keen edge · 24-02-2012 11:40AM #1

My house is situated along a very busy national road in a rural area.
This morning at about 7ish I was awoke by the unmistakable smashing sound of a car accident. The road at this location is a accident black spot and serious RTA's are a frequent occurrence.

My bedroom is towards the front of the house facing the road, so awoken I pull back the curtains and the scene which greets me is the depressing one of the immediate aftermath of a head on collision.

One of the cars involved in the accident ended partially down an embankment, the car that remained on the road was in a sorry state: the front was completely wreaked and it was straddling the center line.

Not for the first time I was shocked, but really more saddened by what happened next.
A line of three or four cars that had been immediately following behind the car that come to a halt on the road, simply slowed down, crossed over the white line and drove around the accident and continued away.

I don't wont to be overly dramatic but I was amazed that these first four vehicles who would have witnessed the moment of impact didn't stop.
They literally had to drive through a large amount of debris to get by.
It was daylight, initially a number of those involved were unconscious it was clear that these people required some degree of help.

I've heard of by-stander effect, but I found it shocking that people could just drive, not even away; but through the accident scene, fully aware that the people in those cars were obviously in need of help.

As luck would have it only last week I completed an occupational first aid course, so I ran out and offered what little assistance I could.
Thankfully nobody was killed, although a couple of those involved were removed on spine boards.

So I was wondering, would you stop at an accident if you were first on the scene. If there were already people in attendance you may not be any need to, unless you could offer some type of medical assistance.
However if you're first on the scene and even if all you could offer was comfort to those involved you should, right?.

Biggins · 24-02-2012 11:43AM

the keen edge wrote: »

...So I was wondering, would you stop at an accident if you were first on the scene. If there were already people in attendance you may not be any need to, unless you could offer some type of medical assistance.
However if you're first on the scene and even if all you could offer was comfort to those involved you should, right?.

Yes, absolutely.
Have done and I hope and pray that I will be able to do such in the future, should I fall across such unfortunate events.
One can only (and should, I feel) try to do something, anything...

xoxyx · 24-02-2012 11:46AM

I find that hard to comprehend. I've heard of the bystander effect, in particular in the Jamie Bulger case, where, despite seeing a child crying and being led off by two slightly older children, nobody got involved assuming that, if something was wrong, somebody else would intervene.

However, in the situation you described where something clearly was wrong, it seems more callous than anything else that the people driving by didn't stop to try and help.

Jimoslimos · 24-02-2012 11:46AM

Isn't it illegal not to??

Bruthal · 24-02-2012 11:48AM

A fella flew past me in fog a few years ago, terrible visibility, and hit a bull a while later. The bull would of been more deserving of assistance with such driver stupidity, except the bull was stone dead.

jester77 · 24-02-2012 11:49AM

Is it not a legal requirement to stop? Or does leaving the scene of an accident only apply to those involved?

I'm glad that a first-aid course is mandatory here as part of the driving license. At least people will have some idea of what to do, even if it's only basic.

Biggins · 24-02-2012 11:50AM

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Isn't it illegal not to??

If you were involved actually in an accident and drove away, you would be held legally accountable.
Just to by-pass one, is not illegal yet (I think - but open to be wrong).

Mr Benevolent · 24-02-2012 11:51AM

I haven't had the opportunity yet, but yes, I'd probably stop.

Joey the lips · 24-02-2012 11:51AM

I would stop at an accident. TBH i thought it was the law. But then again i am just compassionate.

on a different note op have you thought of setting up a camera and filming the amount of accidents then send it to the local papers or council.

24-02-2012 11:52AM

Course I'd stop, how could you go on with your day knowing you could have helped and could have been the difference between life or death? Jesus.

24-02-2012 11:56AM

Yes I would stop.

Bruthal · 24-02-2012 11:58AM

Deleted User wrote: »

Course I'd stop, how could you go on with your day knowing you could have helped and could have been the difference between life or death? Jesus.

It depends on how long after the accident though. Not much to be gained stopping when emergency services are there, and gardai directing traffic through where possible.

But in the case of the OP, the cars immediately behind the accident, slowing and passing, is a bit shocking.

Nforce · 24-02-2012 11:58AM

I've done so in the past, including a couple of fatal RTA's. I'm assuming that motorists that do not stop are probably afraid of witnessing a possible gruesome scene and carry on because of this....or maybe I'm just naive.

summerskin · 24-02-2012 12:00PM

the keen edge wrote: »

My house is situated along a very busy national road in a rural area.
This morning at about 7ish I was awoke by the unmistakable smashing sound of a car accident. The road at this location is a accident black spot and serious RTA's are a frequent occurrence.

My bedroom is towards the front of the house facing the road, so awoken I pull back the curtains and the scene which greets me is the depressing one of the immediate aftermath of a head on collision.

One of the cars involved in the accident ended partially down an embankment, the car that remained on the road was in a sorry state: the front was completely wreaked and it was straddling the center line.

Not for the first time I was shocked, but really more saddened by what happened next.
A line of three or four cars that had been immediately following behind the car that come to a halt on the road, simply slowed down, crossed over the white line and drove around the accident and continued away.

I don't wont to be overly dramatic but I was amazed that these first four vehicles who would have witnessed the moment of impact didn't stop.
They literally had to drive through a large amount of debris to get by.
It was daylight, initially a number of those involved were unconscious it was clear that these people required some degree of help.

I've heard of by-stander effect, but I found it shocking that people could just drive, not even away; but through the accident scene, fully aware that the people in those cars were obviously in need of help.

As luck would have it only last week I completed an occupational first aid course, so I ran out and offered what little assistance I could.
Thankfully nobody was killed, although a couple of those involved were removed on spine boards.

So I was wondering, would you stop at an accident if you were first on the scene. If there were already people in attendance you may not be any need to, unless you could offer some type of medical assistance.
However if you're first on the scene and even if all you could offer was comfort to those involved you should, right?.

I take it you live just outside Kilcolgan?

Drove past at 8am this morning and the wreckage looked awful. I'm surprised and happy that nobody was killed.

It is a blackspot though, and mainly caused by the old folk driving at 50kmh on a 100 limit area, and the yummy mummies dropping their kids off at the nearby school who NEED to get as near as possible to pick up little Fiachra and Emily, slowing to a halt in the process.

But yes, I have always stopped to try and help where appropriate and possible.

Bruthal · 24-02-2012 12:01PM

Nforce wrote: »

I've done so in the past, including a couple of fatal RTA's. I'm assuming that motorists that do not stop are probably afraid of witnessing a possible gruesome scene and carry on because of this....or maybe I'm just naive.

Its probably a case of thinking, someone else will sort it, or thinking they cant do much to help.

Nforce · 24-02-2012 12:06PM

robbie7730 wrote: »

Its probably a case of thinking, someone else will sort it, or thinking they cant do much to help.

Possibly..though I personally cannot fathom how someone could live with themselves by wilfully driving through/away from the scene of an accident.

Bruthal · 24-02-2012 12:09PM

Nforce wrote: »

Possibly..though I personally cannot fathom how someone could live with themselves by wilfully driving through/away from the scene of an accident.

Definitely, it could make a huge difference, just doing something small.

Biggins · 24-02-2012 12:09PM

If the Gardi was there but no ambulances yet, I would still certainly stop and ask if I could be of further assistance.
One time before, I had been able to give a person trapped in a car, a blanket (one little thing I learned, to always keep in a boot of a car) to try and keep them warm and slow down the 'shock' condition they were falling into. I also gave them (the Gardi there) a large powerful torch.

If the fire brigade and ambulances, etc was there of course, I would slow down, say a silent 'hope everything turns out ok' and then drive on when the chance arose.

Nothingbetter2d · 24-02-2012 12:10PM

i would always stop to help.... and i'd hope if i were ever in an accident people would stop to help me.

Bruthal · 24-02-2012 12:12PM

Biggins wrote: »

One time before, I had been able to give a person trapped in a car, a blanket (one little thing I learned, to always keep in a boot of a car) to try and keep them warm and slow down the 'shock' condition they were falling into. I also gave them a large powerful torch.
.

That blanket can make all the difference. A good idea having one.

Kiera · 24-02-2012 12:12PM

I have done yes. One was pretty bad. A motorbike crashed into a car and the poor guy looked mangled. I called the ambulance then jumped out of my car and went over to him. Some silly bint was about to move his head when I let out an almighty scream for her to stop. I’m amazed and the stupidity of some people. I heard on the radio that night that he died

gcgirl · 24-02-2012 12:14PM

Personally I would stop, 2 lads I know had bad enough crashes last year one of them car slid and flipped over one person stopped she was a heavily pregnant mum to be incidentally 10 people reported him to the guards for the crash, then another guy I know wet morning on the M11 crashed in to the median barrier car a complete write off no one stopped

24-02-2012 12:17PM

robbie7730 wrote: »

It depends on how long after the accident though. Not much to be gained stopping when emergency services are there, and gardai directing traffic through where possible.

But in the case of the OP, the cars immediately behind the accident, slowing and passing, is a bit shocking.

Well to be fair, if there's a load of ambulances and gardai at the scene and you're just a regular joe soap with no medical/emergency training then common sense would obviously prevail and you would not get in their way. But to drive by an accident where people actually needed help? No way.

I was in an extremely bad accident a few years ago and I honestly don't know what we would have done if people hadn't stopped. Sure we were so f*cked up we couldn't possibly have called the emergency services ourselves.

The only time I've had to stop wasn't actually for a car accident, but for a woman who had stopped in traffic and was pulling her unconscious son from the car in rush hour traffic, she had no English and was hysterical, a few people stopped and we called an ambulance and took care of her until they arrived, and when they did I parked up my car and drove her cinquencento to Crumlin hospital so she wouldn't have to worry about it. Turns out she had gone to another hospital for religious reasons, but at least I had tried to help. I honestly couldn't just go to work as normal knowing I hadn't done as much as I could. I think most people are the same when it comes down to it though.

Biggins · 24-02-2012 12:18PM

robbie7730 wrote: »

That blanket can make all the difference. A good idea having one.

I keep a blanket, a towel, plastic bags, a good torch, a first-aid kit, a pen, notepaper and a disposable flash camera in anything I travel in.

All the above I keep, through lessons learned while driving.

the groutch · 24-02-2012 12:19PM

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Isn't it illegal not to??

watching too much Seinfeld?

lastlaugh · 24-02-2012 12:20PM

I don't think I could handle seeing people all mangled up if I'm honest, but I think I would stop to at least see if I could be of any use.

monkeypants · 24-02-2012 12:20PM

I've never seen an accident and here's hoping it stays that way, but I would stop, call emergency services, offer any comfort I could and get the warning triangle out of the boot to stop anyone else ploughing into the scene.

kingtut · 24-02-2012 12:23PM

I would always stop unless there was already an ambulance and / or police on the scene.

greeneyedspirit · 24-02-2012 12:27PM

I would certainly stop and provide whatever first aid I could offer.
I also carry a first aid kit in my car (a legal requirement in my home country, and a good one I think, just like the mandatory first aid course that everybody doing their driving license has to take).

Bruthal · 24-02-2012 12:28PM

Biggins wrote: »

I keep a blanket, a towel, plastic bags, a good torch, a first-aid kit, a pen, notepaper and a disposable flash camera in anything I travel in.

All the above I keep, through lessons learned while driving.

Yea the blanket is the main thing in that list i wouldnt have, i might add that in.

Biggins · 24-02-2012 12:38PM

robbie7730 wrote: »

Yea the blanket is the main thing in that list i wouldnt have, i might add that in.

I learned a lesson to have one, while driving home one night and a stone cracked the front screen of the car.
It was winter and as I still eventually, was able to drive (pre-mobile phone era), those with me in the back was cold from the wind able to blow in as I drove slowly home.
A blanket thereafter was kept in the car for such repeats of similar happenings in future.

Do you stop to help at car accidents?

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