Family and friends trying to make sense of a motorbike accident which claimed the life of their 27 year old friend on the morning of 17 April 2012 on Maxwell Drive, Midrand.
National – It is not uncommon to hear about incidents where a person was killed or seriously injured and one of the parties involved abscond from the scene prior to the police’s arrival.
Paramedics have also experienced first-hand the trauma and chaos where families have to deal with the tragedy of an incident; and on top of the incident they have to search for witnesses and or the other party involved.
A few weeks ago a 57 year old man was knocked down by a vehicle in Nigel while he was training for the Comrades Marathon. The only witnesses were a couple in a vehicle on the opposite side of the road that explained that the driver of the vehicle knocked the elderly man and just sped off. Was it not for the couple in the other vehicle, the man would probably have received medical attention only much later when someone saw him lying next to the road.
This morning a 27 year old man was killed on his motorbike on Maxwell Drive in Midrand in a similar case. Paramedics attended the incident and found family and friends on the scene trying to cope with the tragedy at hand.
Security officers from a nearby complex explained that a bakkie allegedly collided with the man’s bike sending him into a passing bus. The driver of the bus immediately stopped, but bystanders explained the bakkie only kept on going.
ER24 would like to advise anyone that was involved in a collision not to leave the scene without exchanging details, contacting emergency services or at least try and offer basic first aid if possible. It is also against the law to leave the scene of an accident without following the procedure as set out in the Road Traffic Act. It does not matter if it is only a small scratch or a minor dent, it is the respectful to stop where it is safe and assist the other driver.
If the driver of a vehicle that collided with you drove off, try and jot down his/her registration number and report it to the closest Police Station within 24 hours.
Should you be involved in a collision, stop immediately or proceed to a safe area. Check for any injuries and contact the emergency services on 084 124. You can also request the ER24 Emergency Call Taker to notify Metro Police, Traffic Police, Fire Department or other Rescue Services.
Werner Vermaak
ER24
082 907 4557