What should you do right after a road accident?

The first steps after a road accident are simple:

1. Make the area safe.

2. Call emergency help if someone may be badly hurt.

3. Do not move an injured person unless there is danger.

4. Check for heavy bleeding and other serious problems.

5. Give basic first aid only if you know how to do it safely.

6. Get medical help quickly if there are warning signs or a serious crash.

WHO says you should first make the crash area safe. Then call for help, give basic first aid, and take injured people to a health care center. Also, be careful when moving a person. A neck or back injury may be present.

Step 1: Make the accident scene safe

Before you help, check for danger. Cars, fire, fuel leaks, broken wires, damaged vehicles, and other dangers can hurt you or the injured person. So, if it is safe, warn other drivers and move to a safe place. WHO says the crash area should be made safe to stop more crashes and injuries. Do not put yourself in danger to reach a person trapped in a car.

If there is fire, smoke, a risk of an explosion, or another serious danger, call emergency help. Then follow the operator’s instructions.

Step 2: Call for emergency help

Call for emergency help at once if someone:
Is not awake ?
Has heavy bleeding ?
Has trouble breathing ?
May have a serious head or back injury ?
Has major injuries ?
May be in danger of dying ?
In India, 112 is the single emergency number for police, fire, and health help.
When you call, tell the operator ?
Where you are or the nearest clear landmark ?
How many people are hurt ?
If anyone is not awake ?
If anyone has heavy bleeding or trouble breathing ?
If anyone is trapped in a car ?
Any clear danger at the crash site ?
Stay on the call. Also, follow the operator’s advice.

Step 3: Avoid extra movement

After a serious road crash, a neck or back injury may be present. So, avoid moving the person unless there is an immediate danger.
Do not pull a hurt person from a car just because they feel uncomfortable. Move them only if staying there could cause serious harm, such as fire.
WHO says to keep movement of the neck and back as low as possible when taking someone out of a car.
If a person is awake and has a clear arm or leg injury, keep that part still as much as you can.
Do not try to straighten a bent or deformed arm or leg yourself.

Step 4: Look for serious bleeding

Heavy bleeding needs quick help. If it is safe and you know basic first aid, press firmly on the wound with a clean cloth or suitable dressing. Keep getting emergency help. Do not stop emergency care just because the bleeding has slowed for a while. WHO says early care for heavy bleeding is an important part of basic care after a serious injury.

Step 5: Check for signs of a serious head injury

A person may look fine after a crash and still have a serious injury.

After a blow to the head, warning signs can include:

• Passing out

• Becoming very sleepy or hard to wake

• Seizures

• New weakness or numbness

• Trouble walking or keeping balance

• Trouble speaking or understanding

• Problems with sight or hearing

• Vomiting more than once

• Clear fluid or blood from the nose or ears

• A very bad or worsening headache

• A large wound or clear change in the shape of the head

The NHS says some of these signs need urgent medical care. It also lists a high-speed road crash as a reason to get urgent help after a head injury. So, if someone had a strong blow to the head, do not assume they are safe just because there is no clear wound.

What injuries can happen after a road accident?

Road accidents can cause many types of injury.

These signs do not prove what the injury is. Some serious injuries may have few clear signs at first. So, medical care may be important after a serious crash.

When should you go to a hospital after a road accident?

Medical care is very important if there is:

• Loss of consciousness

• Trouble breathing

• Heavy bleeding

• A strong blow to the head

• A possible broken bone

• Severe or worsening pain

• Weakness, numbness, or other nerve-related signs

• Chest or belly symptoms

• Any doubt about how serious the injury may be

Even if a person looks fine after a major crash, they should not assume that all is well. Some signs may appear later. The right type of care depends on the injury, the person’s symptoms, and the type of crash.

What happens during road accident treatment?

Treatment usually starts with a check of the person’s condition.

Depending on the injury, health workers may check:

• Breathing

• Blood flow

• Bleeding

• Brain and nerve signs

• Pain

• Movement

• Other signs of injury

Next, they may do more checks or tests. For example, an X-ray may be needed if a broken bone is suspected.

Treatment can be different for each person. It may include:

• Cleaning a wound

• Keeping an injured body part still

• Using a cast or splint

• Pain relief

• Surgery

• Watching the patient

• Sending the patient to another doctor

• Physical therapy

At Rehbar Hospital in Bhawanigarh, the Emergency & Trauma department says it cares for road traffic accidents, broken bones, wounds, and other urgent problems. Its Orthopedics department also lists care for broken bones and joint injuries, X-rays, surgery when needed, and physical therapy.

Why should possible broken bones be checked by a doctor?

A broken bone is not always easy to see. Pain and swelling can happen with many injuries. Also, some broken bones may cause only mild signs. A medical check can show if a bone is broken.

It can also show if the person needs:

• A splint

• More tests
  Care from a bone specialist

• Surgery
  Rehbar Hospital says its bone care service checks and treats broken bones and joint injuries. It also says that it has X-ray and bone care support.

What should you avoid doing after a road accident?

Avoid:

• Moving an injured person when there is no need

• Trying to straighten a possible broken bone

• Pulling an object out of a wound

• Giving food or drink to a person who may need urgent treatment or surgery

• Driving a badly injured or unconscious person yourself when an ambulance or emergency transport is needed

• Ignoring signs just because there is no visible wound

• Waiting too long for medical care while trying to work out the injury yourself

• The safest step depends on what happened
  If a person is trapped, not awake, bleeding heavily, or very badly hurt, call emergency services at once.

Road accident treatment in Bhawanigarh

For people in Bhawanigarh, Sangrur, and nearby areas, it can help to know where emergency care is available before an accident happens. Rehbar Hospital is at Fagguwala Kenchiyan, Sangrur Road, Bhawanigarh, Punjab. Its website says that its Emergency & Trauma unit is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It says the unit treats road traffic accidents, broken bones, wounds, and other urgent problems.
The hospital also lists:
Orthopedics
General Surgery
Pathology & Diagnostics
Physiotherapy
as health services.
For a current emergency, call emergency services or the hospital directly.
Do not use an online article to decide what care a person needs.

A simple checklist to remember

After a road accident, remember:
Safety → Emergency help → Less movement → Stop heavy bleeding → Medical check
The main goal is not to find the exact injury at the crash site.
Instead, look for signs that a person may be badly hurt.
Then get the right help as soon as you can.
This article is for general health information. It does not replace advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a health professional.
If you have worrying or worsening symptoms after a road accident, contact a qualified health professional or get emergency help.

 Key Takeaways

• Make the crash area safe before you help.

• Call 112 in India when emergency help is needed.

• Do not move a person more than needed if they may have a neck, back, or spinal injury.

• Heavy bleeding, being unconscious, trouble breathing, nerve-related signs, and a serious head injury need urgent medical care.
  A broken bone or internal injury may not be easy to see.
  After a serious road crash, a quick medical check can help find injuries and choose the right treatment.

 FAQs