With 35 people losing their lives in traffic accidents that occurred last weekend in Gaziantep and Mardin, the resulting traffic accidents brought to the agenda the measures that should be taken during first and emergency aid. Experts, drawing attention to the measures that should be taken immediately at the scene after an accident, also pointed out the crucial points to consider in first and emergency aid. Experts, stating that security measures should first be taken at the scene, said that cones should be placed behind the vehicle positioned as a barrier in the intervention area, guiding traffic to the empty lane with a maximum distance of 25 meters between them. Experts noted that individuals who have received first aid training can assist healthcare workers under their guidance.
How should first and emergency aid be provided in traffic accidents?
Lecturer Ayşe Bağlı, Head of the First and Emergency Aid Program at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Vocational School of Health Services, evaluated the first aid and emergency response efforts that should be taken immediately after traffic accidents.
Lecturer Ayşe Bağlı noted that certain measures must be taken at the scene in situations like traffic accidents that threaten human health and require immediate intervention, emphasizing that these measures are crucial to prevent secondary accidents.
Safety measures must be taken first
Bağlı stated that if police and fire department teams arrive first at the scene, it is their duty to take security measures, saying, “Traffic flow control is handled by police teams. If possible, a safe flow is ensured, but there can also be situations where traffic is stopped depending on the nature of the incident.”
Ambulances should not be parked closer than 30 meters
Bağlı noted that if an ambulance arrives at the scene before police teams, traffic flow is first stopped, warning, “The ambulance should not be parked closer than 30 meters to the accident area. If there is a risk of fire or explosion, this distance increases even further.”
Lecturer Ayşe Bağlı stated, “In traffic accidents, it may be necessary to have another vehicle that can act as a barrier between the intervention area and the traffic flowing towards the scene, for the safety of the intervention area. For this purpose, police vehicles, if available at the scene, are more suitable. In this case, the ambulance can be parked after passing the accident area.”
Cones should be placed at 25-meter intervals
Lecturer Ayşe Bağlı noted that if there are no police vehicles at the scene, the ambulance can be parked behind the accident, without entering the accident area, to protect the intervention area, and added the following:
“The barrier vehicle should be positioned in the same lane as the crashed vehicle, at a sufficient distance so as not to be dragged into the intervention area in a possible collision, and at an angle that directs traffic away from the intervention area. Cones should be placed behind the vehicle used as a barrier in the intervention area, at a distance in meters equal to half the speed limit, with a maximum of 25-meter intervals, guiding traffic to the empty lane.
If the ambulance is coming from the opposite lane…
If the ambulance is coming from the road opposite to where the accident occurred, it should first stop the oncoming traffic from the right then from the left, park in a safe area, and the road should be closed off with cones placed behind the ambulance at a distance equal to half the road's speed limit.
These measures should be taken in accidents in tunnels and curves!
If the accident area is in places like inside a tunnel, an intersection, over a hill, or in blind curves, a warning sign should be placed at an appropriate distance back, visible to vehicles approaching the scene without seeing it directly. It is important for the parked ambulance's flashing light to be on, without violating traffic safety, to warn other drivers.”
Bağlı emphasized that before intervening with an injured person inside a vehicle in traffic accidents, all four sides of the vehicle should be observed, stating, “It must be confirmed that there is no fuel leakage or smoke coming from the vehicle. The handbrake should be engaged, and the ignition turned off.”
If there is a risk of the vehicle overturning, no intervention should be made
Bağlı warned against intervening inside or near a crashed vehicle if there is a risk of it overturning or tipping over, stating, “Intervention should only be made after the vehicle has been stabilized, and chocks should be placed under its wheels to prevent it from sliding.”
Lecturer Ayşe Bağlı said that if there are loose broken electrical wires at the scene, relevant units should be contacted to ensure the electricity supply to that area is cut off, adding, “Vehicle movement in the accident area poses a risk for intervention personnel. Therefore, if possible, an intervention area should be defined so that it does not overflow into the lane with flowing traffic, and if a suitable area for intervention cannot be created, traffic flow should be stopped. Fencing off the intervention area with safety tape or closing it with cones can be beneficial to create an isolated area. Equipment to be used in the area should also be within this isolated area.”
Those with first aid training can assist healthcare workers
Lecturer Ayşe Bağlı emphasized that individuals who have received first aid training can assist healthcare professionals under their guidance, and listed the following for proper intervention with accident victims:
“First, scene safety must be ensured. While proceeding to the scene, as much information as possible should be gathered, and the command and control center should be informed about the scene and the injured. This is necessary in case of additional ambulance and personnel needs, or for quickly arranging and notifying the hospital where the injured will be transported. The main objective at the scene is to restrict the movement of the injured patient and transport them to the hospital without delay. In traffic accidents, the risk of fractures is high, and a broken bone can also injure the surrounding skin, muscles, vessels, nerve structures, and organs. Therefore, immobilizing the injured patient prevents the broken bone from moving and causing the aforementioned injuries and pain. Furthermore, immediate first aid interventions that need to be performed quickly at the scene should be started without delay. The initial medical evaluation and prioritized life-saving or disability-preventing treatment of the injured person must be carried out quickly and systematically.”