THE

ACCIDENT
BOOK
Whattodolyu888oh8,hav80h8,o cau88oh8.
By Fred Stigale, Shell Senior Safety Inspector
Cometo ..
Shell for answers
c 1978 Shell Oil Company
Read this book now. Pass it on to your family.
The information it contains could save someone's life.
Maybe yours.
ccidents only happen to the other
guy. We all know that. But what
most of us don't know is how to react
when we see an accident occur. Or
what to do if the "impossible" hap
pens, and we suddenly become that
other guy.
As a Shell safety inspector, I
have an understanding of fst aid
techniques. But when I was asked to
write a book about auto accidents, I
realized there were some things I
didn't know.
So, I talked to a doctor, a group
of paramedics, a highway patrolman,
and other professionals. I tried to
cover as many "typical" accident sit
uations as I could. From coming upon
a collision to actually being involved
in one. I combined the things I knew
with what I learned to give you some
advice on how to handle several dif-
About the author
Fred Stigale has been
employed with Shell
_ar fifeen years. Part
of his responsibilities
as a Senior Safety
Inspector involves
tmining emergency
rsponse groups and
other employees at
Shell's Westhollow
Research Center in
H auston, Texas. F1d's also a ce1ied
Em ergency Medical Technician, and he
even manages to spend quite a bit of his
"leisure" time serving as the Assistant
Chief of his community volunteer fire
department.
ferent situations. I also included
some pages on emergency frst aid
techniques.
I think you'll fnd the informa
tion helpful, but I honestly hope you'll
never have to use it.
Q. What's the most imporant
thing to remember when a
serious accident occurs?
A. There are three things that bear
remembering:
1. Don't panic. You need your wits
about you.
2. Think. Do what needs to be done
in logical order. When giving frst
ai d, don' t do more than you' re
qualifed to do.
3. Don't try to be a hero. Call or
send for help as soon as possible.
Q. What if I see an accident but
don't stop to render aid?
A. I feel we all have a moral obliga
tion to stop and help if we can.
But if you're involved in the
accident, you must stop. All states
impose severe penalties on those
drivers who don't.
Q. "Involved in an accident"
means actual physical
contact involving my car.
Right?
A. Wrong! You can be involved in an
accident even i your car never comes
into contact with anything. Accord
ing to Ed Kearney, Executive Direc-
Always cary/lares in your car, and know how to use them. First, be sure thre is no spilled
gasoline. Then place the ./ares behin the accident, about 15-20 paces apart. Angle them
toar the side of the road, as far back as you can. The object is to f a no-man's-lan behind
the accident by guiding approaching trf c around the weck.
tor of the National Committee on
Q. I 'm the first to arrive at a bad
Uniform Traffc Laws and Ordi -
accident. What should I do?
nances, if you contrbute in any way
A. The paramedi cs of the Los
to a crash by another driver, you are
Angeles County Fire Department
involved in the accident.
suggested fve things to do before
For example, if two cars collide
help arrives.
because one was trying to avoid your
1. Avoi d a second col lision.
double-parked car, you are a part of
Don't park behind the wreck, or on
that accident.
the opposite side of the road. Pull up
You are also
involved in the
several yards beyond the accident.
accident i you pass a car and force it
'rn on your fashers.
off the road into another object.
2. If it's safe, reduce the chance
I n both exampl es, you are
of fre by turning off the ignitions in
required to stop just as if you had
the wrecked cars.
actually run into someone.
3. Assist the injured. Ask them
Seeant Br ady advises stopping beyond
an accident on the same side of the road.
Don't stop on the opposite side and try to
run acoss lanes of speeding cars.
where they hurt. Check to see if
anyone is not breathing and look
for those with severe bleeding.
But don't move the vi cti ms
unless absolutely necessary! Many
trafc accidents infict neck or spine
injuries, and moving the victims
could be fatal. An exception to this
rule is if the car is buring, or there is
some other i mmedi ate danger
involved.
NOTE: If "smoke" is rising from the
weck, look closely. It may be steam
from the radiator, and not smoke
from a fre.
4. Get help. Radio or phone for
the police, an ambulance, or the fre
Th equipment these pammedics carr
helps them handle emer,encies. Many of
the items they use should be in your car. See
the list on the next pae far su,,estions on
what you might carr.
department. If you're busy giving
frst aid, ask others who stop to warn
approaching traffc. Always use
fares or refectors if at all possible.
5. Search the area for victims
who might have been thrown from
the cars involved.
Q. I've just had an accident
myself! What do I do?
A. Mr. Kearney told me:
"Remember, you are legally
bound to stop. You should also iden
tify yoursel; and aid the injured."
Stop as near to the scene as
possible. Move the cars out of the
fow of traffc if you can. But note
their location for the accident report.
Give your name, address, and
the license number of your car to the
other driver. Never leave the scene
without identifying yourself.
Under many circumstances,
you'll have to notify your insurance
company, the police, and probably fle
an accident report. (It's a good idea to
keep a blank form with you, so you'll
have it if you need it. Your insurance
agent can get one for you.) Be sure to
fnd out exactly what the require
ments are in your state.
Q. Can I direct trafic around an
accident?
A. Yes, according to Sergeant Chuck
Brady of the California State High
way Patrol-but only until the police
arrive. Then the job of traffc control
is theirs, not yours.
TIP: If you have to direct trafc, be
sure to position yourself so you can
get out of the way of an uncoopera
tive driver. Keep your mind on what
you're doing.
Q. What are the basic first aid
procedures I should know?
A. Dr. William O'Riordan, spokes
man for the American College of
Emergency Physicians, says the fol
lowing are the most useful:
1. Starting breathing (See illus
tration below.)
A. The back of the tongue may
obstruct the airway. B. Lift the jaw
forward to help open it. C. Pinch the
nose shut. Take a deep breath. Open
your mouth wide and put it over the
Follow these steps far mouth-to-mouth
resuscitatic, descrbed above.
The Accident Kit
I asked paramedic Bob Belliveau to
tell me what a good accident kit should
contain, one you might carry in your
car. Here are his suggestions.
Gauze bandages: for dressing cuts,
burs and lacerations
3-inch elastic bandage: for stopping
bleeding and wrapping wounds
Heavy-duty feminine napkins: work
like gauze to help stop heavy bleeding
DistiIIed water in a plastic bottle: for
cooling burs
I-inch adhesive tape: for securing
gauze and splints
Safety pins: have multiple uses
Scissors: for cutting gauze, bandages,
tape, etc.
Ammonia inhalants: to revive a per
son who has fainted
Folde sheet, double-bed size: can be
cut to make slings, wrappings, good
for ground cover, etc.
victim's mouth. Make a tight seal.
Blow to fll the lungs. Watch the chest
rise. D. Listen for air to come out.
Watch the chest fall. Repeat steps C
and D over and over every 5 seconds
until the victim starts to breathe.
(For an infant, puff gently into nose
and mouth at the same time.)
Someone who has stopped
breathing can die in 4 to 6 minutes.
Serious brain damage can occur
aer just 2 or 3 minutes. Start
mouth-to-mouth breathing right
away! Don't wait!
2. Stopping bleeding On arms
and legs that are not broken, press
directly against the wound with the
cleanest cloth or pad available, and
hold the arm or leg up. Keep the
pressure on until the bleeding stops.
If the cloth or pad becomes soaked,
You'll probably fnd all these
items in a drugstore or around the
house. They ft neatly into a common
tackle box. You may want to include
other items not mentioned here. Keep
the kit, and a blanket, in your car at all
times i you can.
leave it on, and put another on top.
(Use direct pressure to stop bleeding
in other areas of the body, too.)
In Honsto, one of Hermnn Hospital's
Lif e Flight helicopters hs just landed to
simulate an emergency. O boar is a
docto and a registered nurse. The speed
wth which aid reaches accident victims
helps save lives.
FOUT of your body's p1'essuTe points aTe
ciTcled. To find and use them, feel fOT a
pulse and follow the steps below right.
If direct pressw"e doesn't stop
the bleeding, also try using a pres
sure point shown above.
A person can bleed to death in
one minute if a major blood vessel
is cut. Don't wait! Stop the bleeding
right away!
NOTE: Don't appl y a touriquet
unless it's absolutely necessary. Com
pletely shutting off blood to a limb
could mean the loss of that limb.
3. Treating shock Shock can
happen to anyone who is badly hurt,
especially if he's bleeding. A person in
shock may have sweaty skin, look
pale and weak, and have an unusually
rapid hearbeat.
Ty to get him to lie down, and
prop up his feet. Keep him as com
fortable as possible. Wrap him in a
blanket or coat. Words of encouage
ment always help.
4. Treating eye injuries If a
foreig object like glass or wood is
lodged in the eye, leave it alone, and
wait for medical help. If no foreign
matter is involved, cover both eyes
with a cloth or gauze. This will re
duce movement of the injured eye.
5. Teating burns Try to cool the
burn by rinsing it with clean, clear
water. Then cover it with a clean
cloth. But don't apply any oint
ments. Teat for shock.
Q. What if a victim's hear has
stopped?
A. Use CPR only if you've had pro
fessional instruction. CPR stands for
cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It's a
technique used to get the heart and
lungs working again once they've
stopped.
Q. Do I really need a course in
first aid?
A. Absolutely. The techniques I've
included in this book are only the
basics. You owe it to yourself and
your family to learn more frst aid, as
well as CPR, f rom a qual ifed
instructor. Contact your local Ameri
can Red Cross, American Heart
A
Stopping bleeding with pressure points:
A. Arm: Reach in/iom behind. Keep yow'
/inge1's flat. Don't use yom' .fngeTtips.
B. Legs: The press ItTe point is where the leg
meets the body, not on the leg itself Press
with the heel ofyouT hand. In both cases, (if
the bone isn't bToken) push against the bone
and Temember to keep pressure diTectiy on
the wound with the aml or leg lifed up.
An nmlrella can make a good leg splint.
Secure it with pieces ot' sheet, bandages,
belts, etc. Splints can also be made.li'01ll ski
poles, boaTds, and pillows.
Association, emergency medical ser
vices, or fre department.
TIP: Don't attempt to move a victim
if you suspect she might have a
broken neck or back, unless it's abso
lutely necessary to do so. Try asking
the victim to wiggle her fngers or
toes. If she can't, her neck or back
Splinting a broken arm: Look fOT a defor
mity 01' swelling. Splints pevent .lil1-lte1
damage and make the victim Im'e COn/
f01table by immobilizing the broken bone
and its joint. You can use a 1'Olled newspa
peT. Put the ar in with the thumb Itp.
SecuTe. Make a sling with a belt.
could be broken. Wait for trained med
ical personnel to arrive on the scene
if at all possible.
. William O'Rim'can showed me an
emergency unit that monitOTs a patient'
condition while he's en Toute to the hospital,
allowing the staH time to pTepaTe f01' the
patient' arival.
Q. I 'm basically shy. What if I
freeze on the scene, even
afer instruction?
A. No one can predict what he or she
will do "on the spot." I wondered how
I'd r e a c t . So have t he pa r a
medics. But the more you know, the
better the chances are that you won't
panic. Study this book. Practice what
you l earn f rom a course. And
remember: don't try to be a hero.
Just do what you can until med
ical help arrives.
"Remember: you always have your most valuable
equipment with you. The use of your hands and
the breath of life in your lungs."
(The Amercan Trauma Society)
Q. Any questions?
A. If you have any questions about
the information in this book, write me
or any of the agencies listed below.
Here's my address: Fred Stigale,
Senior Safety Inspector, Shell Oil
Company, P. O. Box 61609, Houston,
Texas 77208.
Don't be a rubbernecker! If you slow
to a crawl just to stare at an accident,
you're rubbernecking. You'll be need
lessly piling up trafc behind you, and
you may c ause another c ol lision.
Remember to keep moving past the
wreck if you see that someone has
aheady stopped to help.
Shell wishes to thank the following oTganizations which helped supply and Tevew infoation
in this booklet: The Aml-can College of Emergency Physician The Amecan Red Cross
The Califoria Highway Patrol Depmtment of EmeTgency Medicne, St. Froncis Hospital,
Lynwood, CA Life Flight PTogrm, HeTann Hospital, Houston, TX The National
Committee on UnifoT rfc Laws and Ordinances' The National Safety Concil.
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