No one really knows how they will react in the case of a car crash. Most people say that seconds during those terrible moments become longer; adrenaline levels in your body raise so you can respond better in accidents and so that you can protect yourself and others.
However, those expanded seconds will be useless if you don’t know what to do and how to behave. Whatever happens, you need to find a way to get in touch with the police department in your city and call the ambulance as soon as possible.
After you take care of that, and after the professionals are on their way, you need to attend to those in need. The following eight are the most common injuries – each of them can be very dangerous and even fatal if certain measurements of precaution aren’t taken.
Head Injuries
Head injuries can vary from harmless bruises and scratches, to brain damage. It all depends on the severity of the car crash, the quality of the vehicle you’re in, and whether the driver in question was reckless or not.
A simple thing such as a seat belt can make an enormous difference in these situations. In order to help someone who experienced anything that goes from a concussion to traumatic brain injury, you need to check their airways and make sure they are breathing. Inexperienced individuals with no knowledge about CPR should not attempt to do CPR as it can worsen the injured person’s condition. If you want to learn more about CPR, you can head over to Coast to Coast First Aid Aquatics in North York.
Neck and Back
In the case of neck and back injuries, it’s imperative – and you need to remember this – that injured person isn’t relocated. In order to help them, you need to keep them in a position they were found in and wait for the ambulance to arrive.
If it comes to vomiting and choking, you should roll them on the side, but you will need assistance for this because a person who’s injured should be fixated while rolled – one person should attend their neck while another should attend their spine.
Chest Injuries
Injuries in the chest area can be quite dangerous, so you need to make sure that the ambulance is on their way before you attend a person who’s injured. Some of the conditions may not be visible, like cracked ribs and internal bleeding.
If there’s an open wound, your job is to stop the bleeding and be very careful about changes in breathing. In case it’s a penetrating wound and an object is lodged in the chest wall of an injured person, you mustn’t try to get it out by yourself – you need to wait for the ambulance.
Hips and Abdomen
If a person is suffering from an injury in the abdominal area, your job is to assist them to walk and place them in the most comfortable position – like lying on their back, or resting on the side that’s not injured. If you can find pillows and blankets, or anything that can serve as support, use it. In case of this injury, you should help the person in pain by elevating their knees in order to prevent additional pain and spasms.
When it comes to hip injuries, it’s imperative that you immobilize the injured person. First place them lying on their back, put their legs and knees together and secure them with a rope. Naturally, the airways need to be completely open, so make sure that you remove any tight clothes that might be obstructing them.
In case of hips injuries during car crashes, or any of them as a matter of fact, it’s a smart move to have your legal advisor by your side. Therefore, after calling the police and ambulance, you should contact your attorney as well. It is necessary to have someone who’s thinking straight so that they can protect you and your rights.
With all of this in mind, you’ll be able to help those in need. However, in order to provide any assistance, you first need to make sure that you’re not injured yourself. After you’ve determined your own capabilities in that moment, you’ll be able to attend to others.
