Emergency Situations and Accident Procedures
This domain tests the sequence you follow at a crash or breakdown: protect, alert, rescue. Candidates lose marks by rushing to the casualty and forgetting that a second collision is the first risk.
Protect the scene
Stop, switch on hazard lights, put on the reflective vest before opening the door, and place the warning triangle about 30 m behind the vehicle - further on a fast road or where the view is obstructed. Do not smoke, do not stand in the traffic lane, and keep other people behind the barrier or off the shoulder.
Alert and rescue
Call the emergency services with the exact location, number of casualties and any hazard such as fire or spilled fuel, then follow their instructions. Only move a casualty if there is fire, fuel, or continuing traffic danger. Do not remove a motorcyclist's helmet. Control heavy bleeding with direct pressure; place an unconscious but breathing casualty in the recovery position; start CPR if they are not breathing. Never leave the scene of an accident you are involved in - failing to stop is a serious offence.
Mechanical emergencies
Tyre blowout: grip the wheel, ease off the throttle, let the car slow, no hard braking. Brake failure: pump the pedal, change down, apply the handbrake gradually. Fire: stop, switch off, get everyone upwind, use the extinguisher only on a small fire. Skid on sand: look and steer where you want to go, and avoid locking the wheels.
Worked example
You arrive at a crash where a driver is unconscious but breathing, still in the driver's seat, with no fire and no traffic passing. Reasoning: protect first, then alert, then rescue. Since there is no fire or traffic hazard, the casualty is not moved from the seat; you check the airway, monitor breathing and wait for the ambulance. Dragging them out would risk a spinal injury.
Traps that cost marks
Moving casualties out of habit, removing a helmet, forgetting the triangle, and leaving the scene to fetch help instead of sending someone else.