Two Men Rescue Woman from Burning Vehicle on State Route 163 in San Diego
Two good Samaritans were able to rescue a woman from her vehicle after she had been involved in a wreck on State Route 163. Fox 5 San Diego reported that on Tuesday, September 18th, a box truck rear-ended a 2006 Toyota Highlander which pushed the SUV into several other vehicles that had been stopped in rush hour traffic. The Highlander then went off the roadway and caught fire. Luckily, a U.S. Marine that had been traveling nearby noticed the driver was still inside the vehicle. She was trapped.
The man quickly “got out of his car, hurried over, broke out a passenger-side window with his elbow, and pulled the woman to safety with help from a second witness.” She was later transported to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla for treatment. The California Highway Patrol stated that had this man not provided his assistance at the accident scene, the outcome may have been much worse.
What Should I Do After Witnessing a Car Accident?
Each and every time we get behind the wheel of our vehicles and head out on the road, we experience something new. Sometimes, these experiences are scary, yet help us learn from the mistakes we make along with those others do while other times, they leave us in utter shock as they open up our minds to just how dangerous the roadways can be. Although not every drive you take is going to involve something exciting or eye-opening, there are times where you may find yourself in a situation you simply don’t know how to handle. For instance, imagine you just witnessed a car crash like the one described above on a freeway in San Diego. Do you stop or keep going? Should you call 911 or get out and attempt to administer help?
The truth is, many people often don’t know what they would do if they came face to face with such an experience which is why we are here to provide you with a few tips on how you might handle this type of situation.
- Your safety is just as important as those who were involved in the wreck. With that being said, Geico suggests that you “pull over to the side of the road at least 100 feet from the scene and put on your hazard lights.” It is important you pull far enough away as there may be glass and other debris in the road from the crash and fuel may have leaked as a result of the impact.
- Call 911. Rather than spending your time looking around to see if someone else has called 911, it is best you do it yourself just as a precaution to ensure emergency medical personnel is on their way.
- Check on the victims involved. Once you feel that it is safe to approach the scene, you can then go ahead and check on the wellbeing of the victims. If you see that someone is in danger as their vehicle caught fire, you can attempt to help them only if you feel you are able to do so. If someone appears to have sustained a severe injury, it might be best to leave them where they are until medics arrive as you risk worsening their injury if you attempt to move them.
- If you find the accident is minor, help guide the driver who might be in shock to safety. In most cases, if the accident is a minor fender-bender, the driver should be able to pull their vehicle off the roadway and out of the way of oncoming traffic.
- Provide a statement to police and share your contact information should they need to get in touch with you in the future. Because you witnessed the accident, you may be able to help the officer who was dispatched to the scene determine who may have been at fault for causing the wreck.
After witnessing an accident, it is likely your heart will be racing and your adrenaline will be pumping, however, it is important that you keep calm and help in any way you can, even if it is just calling 911.
In the event you were recently involved in a wreck in San Diego, CA or know someone else who was, it is important that you contact car accident lawyer Jeffrey E. Estes in San Diego to find out what the other important steps are that you must take following the collision. You or your loved one may be entitled to compensation for the injuries you sustained and our firm would be more than happy to explain to you how much this is.
Visit or call Jeffrey E. Estes & Associates today at:
501 West Broadway, Suite 1650
San Diego, CA 92101
619-233-8021
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