POTCHEFSTROOM 4 February 2012, 08:00

ER24 paramedic in Potchefstroom have been kept busy today with a flurry of road related emergencies. The first incident occurred at 05:30 this morning when a minibus taxi veered from the road allegedly to avoid colliding with a buck.

The minibus taxi overturned in the veld. A total of 13 patients received treatment at the scene for injuries ranging from suspected back and neck injuries to various scrapes and bruises.

Then at 08:00 paramedics received a call to a scene were a 18 year old lady had fell out of a moving vehicle.

The lady was allegedly sitting against a widow when it gave way. She had sustained multiple serious cuts and bruises and received treatment at the scene before being transported to a nearby medical facility.

Then at 11:00 paramedics received a call out to a road behind the Mooiriver Mall where a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle.

The man was allegedly struck by a Mini Cooper while attempting to cross the road. The patient had sustained a suspected broken bone to his left leg as well as a suspected back, neck and head injury.

Paramedics administered Advanced Life Support treatment to the patient before rapidly transporting him to a nearby medical facility. Local law enforcement officials attended all of the scenes and will be investigating each case further.

Andre Visser, ER24

STELLENBERG 3 February 2012, 08:30

1 Driver sustained serious injuries and 12 other individuals were injured following a head-on collision between a minibus taxi and a bakkie on Faitrees rd in Stellenberg this morning.

The cause of the collision is unknown, but it seems as if the minibus taxi and the bakkie had collided head-on. When ER24 paramedics arrived at the scene they could see that the collision was severe as both vehicles had sustained substantial damage to the front ends.

The male driver and only occupant of the bakkie had sustained various serious injuries including a suspected back, neck and head injuries. The patient received Advanced Life Support treatment at the scene before being rapidly transported to a nearby medical facility by another ambulance service.

A total of 12 individuals in the minibus taxi sustained various injuries ranging from suspected back and neck injuries to various scrapes and bruises. All of the patients received treatment at the scene before being transported to various medical facilities by ER24 as well as the Western Cape Provincial Department of Health: Emergency Medical Service.

Local law enforcement officials attended the incident and will be investigating the incident further.

Andre Visser, ER24

[SOMERSET WEST – 02 FEBRUARY 2012 AT 17H30]

A driver of a light motor vehicle has been killed and two other people from a bakkie have sustained serious injuries after a collision on the N2 direction Cape Town near the Sir Lowry’s Pass this afternoon.

ER24 and Western Cape Provincial Department of Health Emergency Medical Service arrived on the scene and found the two vehicles of which both had extensive damage to them both. The driver of the light motor vehicle who is believed to be in his mid twenties was found inside the vehicle but unfortunately had already succumbed to his injuries and was declared deceased on scene.

The driver of the bakkie and passenger of the bakkie were found walking around on scene. They were assessed by paramedics and suspected they may have suffered chest injuries and possible neck and back injuries. They were stabilised on scene and transported to a nearby hospital for further medical care.

The local authorities will investigate the accident further.

Derrick Banks, ER24

We would like to share the contents of an email sent to the Arrive Alive website requesting assistance in Lenasia. This was also forwarded to the road authorities in Gauteng for a response and action:

“WE need YOUR help to make Lenasia’s roads safer.

Recently a young child lost his life on our roads.

We, the residents of Lenasia need a curb/pavement (both directions) to be erected which will prevent drivers from driving on the pavement and endangering the lives of other road users.

Let us not lose another child! This incident has not even motivated the councilors to act. If they did act, we have not heard about their plans and proposals to make Lenasia’s roads safer.

As a community we need to petition everyone we know to make this road and other roads safe for all.

The residents of Lenasia who know people who can make decisions and influence this, please forward them this email requesting their help.

Together as a community we can make a difference!

Hope this email reaches the relevant person and department, hope action can take place in order to make lenasia roads safer for all as well as roads all around the country. Your assistance and prompt response in assisting to make lenasia a safer place and to save a childs life will be highly appreciated, it does not matter where or who this email came from, it matters if what has been said can be listened by you from the community of the lenasia area

[Also]

And another thing in Lenz, Ext the speed bumps is like nothing cars is flying over them and the small bumps are in the wrong place, Jewel Street itself has two lanes only but at the rate the cars speed and go into house and children/pedestrians you will think there are 4 lanes because cars are always speeding and going of the road because their lose control, the department responsible for putting up the bumps did their communicate with the community because there not in our community to see what’s happening where so how do there decide where to put the speed bumps and the level of the speed bumps

On Nirvana drive since there put those curbs tax drivers stop in the middle of the road, there was no place made available for them to stop when there is so much land on the side of the roads. On Nirvana drive going into and coming out of azure road traffic is bad no robots there or turning lane or something, many children got bumped and is getting bumped from ext 13 when crossing there in the morning for school.”

For speed and traffic calming also view:

KATHU 2 February 2012, 15:45

3 people have died and 28 others sustained various injuries following a 5 vehicle pileup on the N14 highway approximately 10 kilometers outside of Kathu.

The cause of the collision is unknown, but it seems as if a minibus taxi had collided with the rear of a passenger vehicle. The passenger vehicle then collided into the rear of another passenger vehicle in front of it. A large truck then collided with the rear of the minibus taxi at speed. After the initial collision a third passenger vehicle sideswiped the wrecked minibus taxi.

As news of the incident spread, multiple Emergency Medical Services were dispatched to the scene. When ER24 paramedics arrived at the scene they could see that the collision was severe as the rear of the minibus taxi was completely obliterated.

3 Individuals from the minibus taxi were found to have sustained various fatal injuries and were unfortunately later declared dead at the scene. Another 3 passengers in the minibus taxi were entrapped in the wrecked vehicle as the metal had twisted and was pinning the passengers in the wreck. Local fire and rescue services used specialised hydraulic rescue equipment to cut the wreck in order to free the individuals.

2 passengers from the minibus taxi and the driver of the truck sustained suspected head as well as back and neck injuries. They received Advanced Life Support treatment at the scene before being transported to Mediclinic Kathu for further treatment.

All of the remaining 25 patients received treatment at the scene for injuries including suspected back and neck injuries as well as various scrapes and bruises. The patients were transported to various medical facilities in the surrounding area by various ambulance services. Local law enforcement officials who attended the scene will be investigating the incident further.

Andre Visser, ER24

We wish to invite you to register for our Annual Road Transport Legislation Workshop. This year we will, as always, address the legislation on road traffic and transport that have been amended during the past year.

Due to numerous requests for an electronic version of our National Road Traffic Act Compilation and other course documents we are giving delegates a choice of the electronic (CD) or hard copy (book) of the document this year. Please indicate your preference on the registration documentation.

VENUES:

22 May 2012 – Stellenbosch (Spier)

24 May 2012 – Durban (Garden Court Marine Parade)

5 June 2012 – Pretoria (CSIR)

OUR SPEAKERS

• ALTA SWANEPOEL -    Traffic and Transport Consultant (Alta Swanepoel & Associates)
• MAX BRAUN                - Independent Transport Management, Distribution & Logistics Consultant (MB Consulting Services)
• RTIA DELEGATE       – Mr Japh Chuwe, the CEO of the RTMC or his delegated representative

• Max Braun is an independent transport management, distribution and logistics consultant.  He will address Road Transport Costs:  The elusive key to profitability and survival in 2011 and beyond. Excellence is not an option; it is the difference between optimising key ton/km cost components under various road transport operations and average performance typical of business as usual.

• Alta Swanepoel will give an update on the National Road Traffic Legislation, transport developments, overloading legislation and other draft amendments and will provide a follow-up discussion on AARTO and the RTIA presentation.

• The Road Traffic Infringement Agency is the statutory body that is responsible for the AARTO system. Mr Japh Chuwe, the CEO, or his nominated delegate will be discussing the amendments to the AARTO legislation and the further implementation of the system

*** The Registration fee is R2 250 per person (included are workshop documentation, refreshments and lunch) ***

TO REGISTER –

PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE

• VIA E-MAIL altaswanepoel@mweb.co.za or admin@altaswanepoel.co.za
• VIA FAX 086 672 0469
• OR visit our Web-site for a Registration Form: www.altaswanepoel.co.za (Annual Seminar)

You are welcome to forward this invitation to any other interested parties who may wish to attend the workshop.

We would like to share a request for assistance:

“”I’m working on a project for a series of television commercials and am looking for real-life people who have experienced injuries or accidents in specific settings.

Do you know of anyone who had had a car accident because they were distracted? I.e putting on lipstick or changing the radio station?

If so, would you be able to put me in contact with the person? The person would be compensated with a fee as well as the covering of any applicable expenses.”

Kind regards,

Bianca

Bianca Wright

Freelance Journalist

http://www.icon.co.za/~bmt

Email Bianca if you can help her: bmt@icon.co.za

Avoiding distractions while driving
Texting and distracted driving
Pedestrian distractions and road safety

[MIDLANDS – 30 JANUARY 2012 AT 14H20]

A farm worker believed to be in his 50’s has been killed after the tractor that he was riding on over turned on Caversham Valley Road in the Midlands near to Howick this afternoon.

ER24 paramedics from Pietermaritzburg arrived on the scene to find the tractor lying on its side with the driver close to the front wheel. The paramedics assessed him and found that he had suffered traumatic and fatal injuries and was unfortunately declared deceased on the scene.
It is believed that the tractor may have had some sort of mechanical problem, causing the driver to lose control, which caused the tractor to overturn numerous times and ejecting the driver from the tractor as it rolled. The local authorities were called to the scene and would investigate the incident further.

Derrick Banks, ER24

SARON 30 January 2012, 07:00

8 People have died and 48 others sustained various injuries after a truck, allegedly transporting farm workers, collided with a bridge on the R44 approximately 8 kilometers from Gouda.

As Emergency Medical Personnel arrived at the scene they could see that the collision was severe. The cause of the collision is unknown, but the rear of the truck had became completely dislodged during the collision and proceeded to fall off the side of the bridge.

8 people were found at the scene with severe injuries and were unfortunately later declared dead at the scene. Another 48 individuals sustained various injuries. 8 people sustained serious injuries including various broken bones, head and chest injuries, suspected back and neck injuries as well as various scrapes and bruises. The remaining 40 individuals received treatment at the scene before being transported to various medical facilities in the surrounding area.

The ER24 Discovery Medicopter as well as the AMS helicopter was dispatched to the scene. Each helicopter airlifted a critically injured patient to a medical facility.

Various other Emergency Medical Services including the Western Cape Provincial Department of Health: Emergency Medical Services, ambulances and rescue services attended the scene. The rescue team used a large crane to stabilise the rear load bed of the truck involved in the collision, so that rescue workers could get to the injured individuals.

Local law enforcement officials attended the scene and would be investigating the incident further.

Andre Visser, ER24

[Bloemfontein 28/29 Januray 2012 between 22:30 and 06:30]

3 separate accidents in the Bloemfontein surrounding area has left 1 persondead and another 12 people with various injuries.

At around 22:30 a Mercedes sedan and Mazda sports car collided head on, on First Avenue. The cause of the accident is not known but the driver and only occupant of the Mazda had suffered extensive injuries, and despite all efforts by paramedics at the scene to resuscitate the man, he died at the incident due to the nature of him injuries. Sadly, there was nothing more that could be done for him.

There were 2 sisters in the Mercedes at the time of the accident, a 22 year old that is pregnant and her 20 year old sister. They were stabilised for moderate injuries and taken to Rosepark Hospital by ambulance for further assessment and treatment.

A bakkie and a sedan collided on Meadows Street. The bakkie landed in the roadside field on its side, while the sedan was badly damaged on the boot end. There were 9 people who needed treatment for various injures. The were all treated accordingly on scene before being taken to hospitals in the surrounding area. They had all suffered minor to moderate injuries only.

In the earlier parts of this morning, a Mini and a bakkie collided on George Lubbe Street. The Mini had collided into the side of the bakkie which had caused the bakkie to overturn. The bakkie lay on its side in the road, but fortunately the driver had sustained only minor injuries. He was taken to hospital for further care as he had sustained a possible neck injury. The driver of the Mini had sustained some minor scrapes and abrasions to his arm, but he decided he would not require further treatment at a hospital and left the scene privately.

All of the accidents were attended to by the appropriate area officials which would determine the causes of the accidents.

Vanessa Jackson, ER24