Emergency card concept to help accident victims
Shallcross Youth Movement members Theesan Vedan, Kershin Pillay and Previn Vedan holding the motor vehicle accident emergency card. Shallcross Youth Movement members Theesan Vedan, Kershin Pillay and Previn Vedan holding the motor vehicle accident emergency card.
Being involved in an accident can leave one shocked and anxious.
Innovative Shallcross lawyer Previn Vedan and a youth organisation are set to change that with a motor vehicle accident emergency card that will be freely available to the community.
“South Africans commute daily to work, school, universities and for recreation. We use various forms of transportation, the most common of which are cars,” said Vedan.
The risk of being involved in an accident was therefore quite high, he added.
In an attempt to assist people involved in accidents, the Shallcross Youth Movement (SHAYOMO) created the emergency card concept
SHAYOMO has worked in the community for 30 years and Vedan has been one of its activists since his school days.
“The movement looks
for solutions to community
challenges and the card is one solution for accident emergencies.”
Vedan revealed that the first segment of the card was reserved for emergency contact details: numbers of family and friends that a victim would want to immediately inform, the SAPS, eThekwini Ambulance and Emergency Services, and the fire department.
He added that accident reports, insurance reports and safety requirements were taken into consideration when developing the card.
The card sets out five simple steps that needed to be followed in the unfortunate event of an accident, he said.
The first step advises the motorist to stop and call for help.
The second step suggests the motorist clear the road by moving any vehicles or anything that obstructs the flow of traffic.
The third step recommends the driver acquire as much photographic evidence as possible.
The fourth step encourages the motorist to record the details of the other driver or people involved in the accident, and the fifth urges one to report the accident.
The card can be printed on to an A4 page, folded into four and kept in a motor vehicle cubby or anywhere safe in case of an emergency.
Awareness of the motor vehicle accident emergency card is currently being
spread through social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp.
Six local libraries, including Shallcross, Bayview and uMlazi, will stock the cards from this week. One can also e-mail Vedan at
[email protected] to request one.