Emergency Procedures and Accident Response
What this domain tests
The exam checks the first ten minutes after a collision or breakdown: how to prevent a second crash, what to do for the injured, what to report, and which actions can make things legally and medically worse.
Immediate actions
- Stop, switch off the engine and turn on the hazard lights.
- Place a warning triangle 50-100 m behind the vehicle, and use a torch or reflector at night.
- Do not smoke, and do not move vehicles with leaking fuel.
- Call police on 117 and ambulance on 119; give the location, number of casualties and hazards.
- Do not move a seriously injured person unless there is fire, traffic or another immediate danger. Never remove a motorcyclist's helmet.
- Control bleeding with direct pressure, keep the injured warm, and give no food or drink.
- Exchange names, licence and registration details, photograph the scene, and report the crash as required.
Worked example
A motorcycle rider is unconscious but breathing after a collision. The instinct is to lift him off the road, but the correct action is to leave him in place, protect the scene and call 119. Moving an unconscious casualty can worsen spinal injuries, and removing the helmet can obstruct the airway. You stay until help arrives unless the scene becomes dangerous.
Traps
- Driving away because the damage looks minor, which turns a collision into a hit-and-run.
- Standing between the vehicles while talking, exposed to oncoming traffic.
- Arguing about fault at the roadside instead of securing the scene.