New drivers and accidents - what to do at the scene.

Some advice for new or learner drivers on what you should do if you have been involved in an accident,whether with another vehicle, another user of the road and/or with an object. What to do if you come across an accident involving others.

What drivers should do at an accident or in an emergency
If you are involved in an accident, you must stop your vehicle and remain
at the scene for a reasonable time. If vehicles are blocking the roadway or
posing a danger to other road users, the highway should be marked and
the vehicle should then be removed as soon as possible.
If you are asked by the police, you must give your name and address, the
address where the vehicle is kept, the name and address of the vehicle
owner, the vehicles registration number and evidence of insurance, such
as the name of your insurance company or motor insurance
certificate. If there is no police at the scene, you must give this
information to any person involved in the crash or, if requested, to an
independent witness.
If you or another person are injured and there is no police at the scene,
the accident must be reported to the nearest police station.
If the accident damages only property and there is a policeman in the
immediate vicinity you must report it to them. If there are no police
available you must provide this information to the owner or the person in
charge of the property.

Sensible precautions that will help if you are involved in a motoring accident.

Keep a disposable camera with built-in flash in your vehicle and if possible take photographs of the scene and any damage done.

Take care when moving damaged or broken-down vehicles and make every effort to warn oncoming traffic of the accident.You can warn them by using your hazard lights.

If you need to ask for another road users help to warn traffic, do so right away.

Have a reflective advance-warning triangle, place it on the road far enough from the scene of the accident to give enough warning to approaching traffic. When placing a triangle you should take account of prevailing road conditions, traffic speed and volume. This is particularly important on motorways and dual-carriageways.

If the breakdown occurs near a bend in the road, make sure you give warning to traffic on both sides of the bend.

Leaking fuel from a crashed vehicle is dangerous, so be careful approaching any vehicle after an accident.

Carry a high visibility vest or jacket and a torch in your vehicle. If there is
an accident, wear the vest or jacket and use the torch to alert other road
users of your presence.


What to do if you arrive at the scene of an accident

Do call for help. Contact the emergency services on 999 or 112.
Don't give an injured person anything to eat or drink.
Do organise bystanders to warn oncoming traffic from both directions, if this has not already been done. Be particularly careful at night so that people giving help
are visible (by wearing reflective armbands or bright clothes or carrying lit torches).
Don't allow anyone to smoke at, or close, to the scene.
Do make sure others are safe, however you should keep any injured people warm, by placing coats or rugs around them.
Don't remove helmets from injured motorcyclists. Neck injuries are common in motorcycle collisions, and any attempt by inexperienced people to remove the helmet may leave the injured person paralysed from the neck down.
Do make sure you are safe as you try to help others.
Don't attempt to lift a car off an injured person without help.
Do switch on hazard warning lights and parking lights.
Don't move an injured person unless there is a risk of fire or of the vehicle turning over.
Do use a reflective advance-warning triangle if available.
Don't get injured yourself Ð park your vehicle safely out of the way.
Do switch off the engine and apply the handbrake.
Don,t stay at the scene if there are enough people helping and keeping it under control.
Do remain calm.
Don't panic Ð assess the situation before taking action.

Accidents involving dangerous goods vehicles.
If a vehicle carrying petrol, heating fuel or acid is in an accident, you should:
keep well clear of the scene,
if possible, position yourself to make sure that the wind is not blowing from the accident towards you,
warn other road users about the danger,
give as much information as possible about the marking labels on the vehicle when summoning help, and
let the emergency services do any rescuing.