We have often focused on the need to avoid distractions while driving – and especially the dangers presented by your cellular phone while driving. Many accidents have been caused by drivers talking on cellular phones and texting sms messages!

Your cellular phone may however be a very important tool once you have been in an accident! Not only will it allow you to contact emergency response assistance, family or friends – it will also allow you to record important evidence.

Most mobile phones nowadays have cameras with which you are able to take photos of good quality. Never forget this feature and take a few photos of the accident scene after the accident. This would help you when completing the accident report form in remembering the flow of the traffic, positioning of vehicles and even with the identification of parties to the accident.

But which photos should I take?

The Arrive Alive website has approached well - known forensic accident reconstructionist, Stan Bezuidenhout and asked him to provide information on the topic “The perfect 36 Photographs of any accident”.

This has been made available on the Arrive Alive website under the title:

“The perfect 36 Photographs of any accident”

We have also made this available in a shortened format on the Arrive Alive mobile website. If your loved ones call you to inform you that they have just been in an accident – tell them to view the information available on Arrive Alive.mobi.

This will assist them to remain calm at the accident scene whilst knowing that help is at hand!!

Also view the Car Insurance and Road Safety Blog

This afternoon I had the opportunity to fly on the Netcare 911 “eye in the sky” and soon after lift-off we spotted an accident on the Olifantsfontein road with no emergency services in attendance. We managed to land so that the flight paramedic could treat the patients while the road crews were on route.

Two heavy goods truck collided the front truck then went into the on coming lane and landed on top of a light motor vehicle with 3 occupants.

Miraculously only a female occupant sustained some head and suspected spinal injuries. The other two escaped without any injury at all.

The driver of the rear truck sustained minor injuries. They were treated on scene and then transported to the Castenhoff hospital in Midrand for further treatment.

Chris Botha

Netcare 911

I could not resist sharing these images sent to the Arrive Alive website. We have written quite a bit on vehicle safety – and would like to remind all our visitors to protect their vehicles and other belongings at all times!!

Also view: Car Insurance and Road Safety Blog

Paramedics rushed to the scene of a tractor accident in Makaranga Drive Westmead. When they arrived on scene they found that the tractor overturned and went over the driver. He sustained critical injuries and the Netcare 3 Helicopter with a trauma team on board was called to assist in stabilising the patient and then airlifting him to the Netcare St Augustine’s hospital in Durban for further treatment .

Chris Botha
Netcare 911

Netcare 911 rushed to the scene of an accident on the M41 towards the M4. A vehicle believed to have made an attempt at making a U- turn on the M41 was hit at the side by a taxi.

The elderly couple in the car was trapped in the wreckage and fireman and paramedics used the jaws of life to free them from the vehicle. The husband sustained critical injuries while his wife had serious injuries. They were both transported to the Umhlanga hospital for further treatment. Six people from the taxi sustained injuries, 3 serious and 3 minor injuries. They were all treated on scene and then transported to provincial hospitals in the Durban area for further treatment.

Chris Botha
Netcare 911

Technology has a significant impact on vehicle safety. Not only does it allow for safer vehicle design and safety features – but it also provides fleet management and other tools to allow for careful monitoring of driving behaviour. But could we use technology to protect the driver and occupants from vehicle theft and hijacking as well?

Data Dot technology is a simple and effective theft deterrent system. Data Dots, which are smaller than a grain of sand, hold identifying information that links the merchandise to its original owner. Data Dots are tiny polyester particles that are inscribed with unique information. Each microdot is no larger than 1mm in diameter. Thousands of these microdots are applied to a motor vehicle using a special adhesive. The information etched onto the microdots relates exclusively to the identity of your vehicle. The water-based adhesive used has UV additives providing easy identification of sprayed areas. The microdots are sprayed onto a minimum of 80 sites within the vehicle, making it difficult for would-be thieves to alter the car’s identity.

Based on the reliable identification of a vehicles key component parts, the vehicle is of reduced value to a professional thief. They are only interested in vehicles where they can easily change their identity or strip for parts. By reducing the value of the vehicle to thieves, it enhances the safety of the occupants making this deterrent a priceless benefit. It is important to keep in mind that the Data Dot system is not a tracking device. This system can be described as being active at all times in deterring thieves. A sticker indicating that your vehicle is protected by Data Dot is highly visible to would be thieves.

As more thieves are becoming aware of the Data Dot System we could expect that motorists might have less of a threat of hijacking and vehicle theft! This system could be used in tandem with other vehicle tracking systems to provide vehicle owners with more protection!

Also view on the Car Insurance Blog:

• DataDot, a few dots of technology could save on car insurance premiums
  

At around 15h30 on the 28th, Netcare 911 paramedics rushed to the scene of a  road accident in the Chakas Kraal area. 3 Ladies in there 50’s were taking a ride on their quad bikes when the one lady lost control and plunged 15 metres over a cliff and sustained serious injuries.

Paramedics battled to get access to the patient and then called for the Netcare 3 Helicopter to airlift the lady to the Netcare Umhlanga hospital for further treatment.

Chris Botha
Netcare 911

Paramedics rushed to the scene of a taxi accident in North Coast road at the intersection of Effingham road. A taxi and a car collided injuring 11 people.

One lady in her 50’s sustained critical injuries and was airlifted to th Albert Luthuli hospital,6 other passengers sustained serious injuries and 3 minor injuries.

All the patients were treated on scene and then transported to various hospitals in the area for further treatment.

Chris Botha
Netcare 911

Netcare paramedics responded to an accident on Spine road in Westville. A 5 year old girl was hit by a car when she tried to run across the road.

Paramedics stabilised the seriously injured child and then transported her to the King Edward hospital for further treatment.

Chris Botha
Netcare 911

This morning at around 08h00 Netcare 911 rushed to the scene of an accident on the Esplanade opposite the Yacht Mall. When paramedics arrived they found that a motorbike and a truck had collided.

The motorcyclist sustained critical injuries and after paramedics stabilised the patient he was transported to a local Durban hospital for further treatment.

Chris Botha
Netcare 911