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Step 1
Stay calm. Before doing anything else, take a few minutes to asses the situation. The one thing you do not want to do is become a casualty yourself, so do not rush into anything.
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Step 2
Make sure the emergency area is noticeable to oncoming traffic. If there is no other warning that an emergency situation has occurred, park your car well behind the vehicle in distress and switch on your hazard lights. This should be enough to ensure that all oncoming traffic slows down.
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Step 3
Whether you are attending to someone else’s emergency or having one of your own, never cross a carriageway. Oncoming traffic may look far away, but this may not be the case when you are halfway across, especially with two or three lanes. Don’t become a casualty yourself.
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Step 4
If you can see that there are casualties at the scene of an accident, call an emergency number on your mobile phone, or use a roadside emergency box. Choose one on your side of the carriageway. Give the emergency services as much information as possible and follow their instructions.
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Step 5
Unless you can save a person’s life, do not approach any vehicle that has leaked petrol, chemicals or other fluids onto the motorway.
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Step 6
Do not move any injured people unless there is a risk of an explosion or fire do not move any casualties. They may have unseen injuries. The quietest casualties may be the ones in the most distress. Leave them as they are and wait for the emergency services to arrive.
