What do I do in the event of an accident? What should be considered in the event of a crash with an electric car? We have put together a few tips.
A car accident happened quickly. Sometimes there is only a bollard in the way, sometimes another car is caught parking. A moment of inattention is enough, and in city traffic, you are rushing into the rear of the vehicle in front.
But what if you are involved yourself and one of the cars involved in the accident is an electric car? Are there special regulations or does everything work the same way as with ordinary vehicles?
Cordon off the scene of the accident
Regardless of whether it is an accident with an electric car or a combustion engine: One rule always applies: In the event of a serious accident, the first step should be to notify the police and emergency services. In addition, the warning triangle should be set up at a distance of 50 meters and the scene of the accident secured. The locking is necessary: in every car accident, self-protection and the protection of the traffic that is still moving are mandatory.
In addition, those involved in the accident and helpers should drive to the right-hand side if possible. This also protects the flowing traffic. Tip: Take a few photos or a short video beforehand so that the accident situation can be identified. In addition, the hazard warning lights should be switched on and the safety vest pulled on. The trunk should be opened for better visibility. This means that vehicles are better recognized in flowing traffic.
This measure is necessary. However, if the accident took place on a motorway or a country road, those involved in the accident must also think about themselves. On the motorway, at any time of the day or night, those involved in an accident should not be on the road. For the next step, drivers should climb over the guardrail and approach the other vehicle from the grass verge.
Provide first aid
It is compulsory in Germany. However, a certain degree of self-protection is still urgently necessary here, if the circumstances permit. For example, pulling out an unconscious driver on the highway could be too dangerous if the car is close to the road. In this case, the casualty must be looked after from the passenger side. Basically.
After the emergency services and the police have been called in the first step, the emergency services should – if one can assess it – be reported to the emergency services about the severity of the injuries suffered by the accident victim.
In the best-case scenario, the injured party is pulled out of the car. However, this is not always possible, sometimes the injuries are too severe or the injured person is trapped. The attempt is now made to stop bleeding as well as possible and to keep the injured person as calm as possible. This is especially important if he complains of severe back and neck pain or if he can no longer feel his legs correctly. First aid now consists of keeping the casualty calm.
No help possible
There are accidents in which the layman cannot assist. This applies, for example, to an overturned vehicle or in cases where the driver is trapped or the doors and windows cannot be opened. Now the best help is to calm the injured person down. A side window can be smashed.
Even rescue workers give the tip, as the first aider, to look for other helpers yourself. It often happens that other cars stop anyway. It doesn’t hurt to get a second or third person to help.
Particular dangers with electric cars
E-cars are more and more common on German roads and are therefore more often involved in accidents. Recently there have been cases where electric cars caught fire, for example, due to short circuits. However, the fire performance of an electric car is no more severe than that of a torn open petrol tank.
Deleting is more complicated with e-vehicles. Even the fire brigade has to extinguish electric vehicles in a different way than ordinary cars. The fire extinguisher that many drivers have with them in the vehicle is not appropriate for batteries. The drug of choice is water – lots of water.
A bigger problem in accidents is the weight and stability of the vehicle – especially if it is not a small car. Because of their batteries, e-cars are heavier than their petrol-powered vehicles, so that a trapped person can often only be freed with a large device in a spectacular attempt at cutting. The rescue workers are of course adequately prepared for this. The fire brigade, for example, dismantled an e-bus near Munich, purely to prepare for an emergency.
Trapped inmates
People who are trapped in a demolished car can hardly or not at all be freed for the layman. Anyone who has ever seen the tools the rescue workers use to pry open the door of an accident vehicle has a good idea of the actual situation. Hydraulic presses are a must here. In any case, cutting out an accident victim is only possible with special tools operated by hydraulic pumps.
Burning car
Calling an emergency number concerning the fire and securing it is a must. In addition, the engine should be turned off, if it is still possible to get the key. With normal cars and small fires, the usual fire extinguisher helps initially.
Rescue person
In this case, it does not matter whether the casualty is injured during the rescue or has already suffered serious injuries. The person is pulled from the burning vehicle and taken to a safe distance, if at all possible.
E-car or combustion engine: helping counts
Whatever car is involved in an accident, it always needs help. It applies “to the best of my knowledge and belief principle”. This means that no first responder will be held responsible for mistakes. In hot and dangerous situations for everyone involved, only the scene of the accident should be secured and the rescue workers called. Helpers should never put themselves in danger.