When the call came in for a taxi that had collided head on with a bakkie in Florence Nightingale road in Chatsworth Durban, paramedics immediately expected the worst. Three ER24 ambulances and two rapid response vehicles descended on the scene to assist the potentially seriously injured.
Paramedics approached the scene and began quickly triaging the patients to determine the exact extent of their injuries. Most of the patients were actually sitting next to the road, having climbed out of the respective vehicles after the collision had occurred. The medics were actually shocked, but very relieved, to find that all seven patients had sustained minor injuries only, and were treated for mild shock and scrapes and bruises on the scene. One man was placed on spinal immobilization equipment as a precaution, as he was complaining of slight neck and back pain. All of the patients, six men and a woman, were transported by ambulance to the RK Khan hospital for further assessment and treatment.
The taxi’s front end was completely damaged in the accident, and these front occupants were fortunate enough to have escaped serious injury.
The Fire and Rescue department assisted where they could, and the police will be investigating the accident.
Tristan Wadeley
ER24