[BLACKHEATH, WC 17 May 2012 15:21]

A worker at an automotive repair shop in Blackheath sustained serious injuries this afternoon, after the vehicle he was working on fell on him.

The cause of the incident is unclear at this stage, but the man was working underneath the vehicle when the lifting equipment allegedly slipped. The vehicle then fell on the man. Concerned coworkers rushed to the man’s aid and pulled him out from under the vehicle.

When ER24 paramedics arrived at the scene they found the man in severe pain. Paramedics treated the man at the scene for suspected back, neck and chest injuries as well as a broke left shoulder.

The man was later transported to Tygerberg Hospital for further medical care.

Andre Visser, ER24

Also view:

Vehicle Maintenance and Repair

Vehicle maintenance and safety guide to roadworthiness of vehicles

At around 9:00 this morning (17 May) the driver of a Renault Megane lost control of his vehicle on Bram Fischer Drive, Randburg, and drove into a shop front. It is alleged that the vehicles brakes may have failed leading to the accident.

The Matrix Road Safety Association vehicle arrived on the scene and according to Terence Teixeira of the Matrix Road Safety Association, the shop owner was sitting in the shop front when the vehicle came crashing through his shop front. “The vehicle came to a halt at the back of the shop about two meters from the employees who were busy doing their work in the back of the store. Fortunately, besides the shock of the event, no one sustained any injuries,” he reports.

Teixeira urges motorists to regularly send their vehicles in for routine maintenance checks so as to avoid such incidents. “Brakes, brake pads, shocks, gear boxes and clutch cables should regularly be checked by a professional. These vehicle parts are prone to wear and tear and if not checked regularly can result in the engine seizing, brakes failing and ultimately an accident or breakdown,” he advises.

For more information on the Matrix Road Safety Association visit www.matrix.co.za.

At around 16:00 yesterday, Wednesday 16 May, a pedestrian was knocked down on Brickfield Road, Meadowdale.

According to an eye witness a drunk pedestrian allegedly stumbled too far over into the road and was clipped by a Tata Indigo which then fled the scene.

A driver who witnessed the whole incident pursued the Tata. Fortunately the driver of the Tata Indigo returned to the scene after having been stopped by the witness who photographed the number plate of the Tata.

The Matrix Road Safety Association vehicle arrived first on scene and the on-board Emer-G-Med medic assessed and stabilized the patient who was then transported to a nearby hospital.

“We commend the witness on his quick actions which resulted in the hit and run vehicle returning to the scene, “says Terence Teixeira from Matrix Road Safety Foundation.

“With winter approaching visibility is starting to be impaired early mornings and late afternoons and motorists are reminded to keep their lights on to improve visibility,” he adds.

For more information on the Matrix Road Safety Association go to www.matrix.co.za.

[Carletonville 16 May 2012 20:00]

The driver and only occupant of an Audi was lucky to survive a severe impact collision on the N12 outside of Carletonville.

The vehicle was traveling in the direction of Potchefstroom when approximately 20 kilometers outside of Carletonville, a Ford bakkie slammed into the back of the vehicle. Details surrounding the cause of the accident are unclear, but there was mention that the Audi was stationary in the road for some reason, and the driver of the Ford was unable to avoid the collision due to late warning of the situation.

The entire back of the Audi was severely crushed; the damage involved the roof right up to where the driver was seated. Paramedics who arrived on scene expected the worst but found the man in his 30′s walking around the scene. Miraculously he had not sustained any obvious and serious injuries, but he was taken to a local hospital by ambulance for further assessment and care.

The driver and only occupant of the Ford had suffered no physical injuries, and the damage to the sturdy and early model bakkie appeared to have been relatively minor.

Vanessa Jackson, ER24

[ROOI-ELS, WC 16 May 2012 15:05]

One man sustained serious injuries this afternoon following an incident on Clarence drive, R44, near Rooi-Els.

The cause of the incident is unclear at this stage, but a male motorcyclist, aged 52, was driving on the road when he allegedly swerved to avoid a collision with another vehicle. The man then fell off the bike before being driven over by the passenger vehicle.

Paramedics from the Western Cape Provincial Department of Health: Emergency Medical Services who arrived at the scene promptly dispatched the ER24 Discovery Medicopter to the scene.

Paramedics treated the man at the scene for suspected back and neck injuries  as well as a broken right arm and a broken right leg. The man was later airlifted to Groote Schuur Hospital for further medical care.

The occupants of the passenger vehicle sustained no injuries in the collision. local law enforcement officials attended the scene and will be investigating the incident further.

Andre Visser, ER24

084 211 2277

[KWA-PATA, KZN 16 May 2012, 07:30]

Three people sustained some injuries this morning following a collision between a minibus taxi and a light passenger vehicle in the informal settlement of Kwa-Pata.

The cause of the collision is unclear at this stage, but a minibus taxi had collided into the side of the passenger vehicle. When ER24 paramedics arrived at the scene that identified three occupants in the light passenger vehicle to be in need of medical attention.

Two of the passengers, a boy aged four and a girl aged eleven, received treatment at the scene for various scrapes and bruises. The female driver received treatment for suspected back and neck injuries as well as various scrapes and bruises. All of the patients were later transported to a nearby medical facility for further treatment.

None of the occupants from the minibus taxi sustained any injuries in the collision. Local law enforcement officials attended the scene and will be investigating the incident further.

Andre Visser, ER24

084 211 2277

[PINETOWN, KZN 15 May 2012, 21:30]

Two people have died and two others have sustained serious injuries following a head-on collision on the M19 highway in Pinetown.

The cause of the collision is unclear at this stage, but a passenger vehicle had allegedly veered out of control before crossing the centre median and colliding head-on with another passenger vehicle.

When ER24 paramedics arrived at the scene they found that a female passenger and  a boy, believed to be aged 10, was ejected from the vehicle. The male driver and the 10 year old boy had sustained various fatal injuries. Unfortunately both the driver and the boy was later declared dead at the scene.

The female passenger received Advanced Life Support treatment at the scene for various serious injuries including head, chest, suspected back and neck injuries as well as various broken bones. She was later rapidly transported to a medical facility by another ambulance service.

The other vehicle had a male driver only. Paramedics treated the man at the scene for suspected back and neck injuries as well as a broken left arm. The man was later transported to Hillcrest hospital for further medical care.

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

Andre Visser, ER24

084 211 2277

[REDDERSBURG, FS 15 May 2012, 23:30]

Eight people sustained various injuries late yesterday evening adapter a single minibus taxi overturned on the N6 near Reddersburg.

The cause of the collision is unclear at this stage, but the minibus taxi which was towing a trailer, had veered out of control before leaving the road and overturning multiple times. The vehicle had 12 occupants in it at the time of the collision.

When ER24 paramedics arrived at the scene they identified a total of eight people in need of medical attention. Six of of the patients sustained minor injuries in the form of various scrapes and bruises. Two occupants sustained more serious injuries in the form of deep cuts as well as suspected head, back and neck injuries.

All the patients received treatment at the scene before being transported from the scene by various ambulance services to Pelonomi hospital for further care. Local law enforcement officials attended the scene and will be investigating the incident further.

Andre Visser, ER24

084 211 2277

[BRACKENFELL, WC 15 May 2012, 20:45]

ER24 paramedics responded to two serious collision on Old Paarl road in the Northern suburbs of Cape Town this evening.

The first collision occurred on the corners of Old Paarl road and Brackenfell boulevard when an Audi passenger vehicle collide with another vehicle.

Paramedics treated one female occupant at the scene for suspected back and neck injuries as well as various scrapes and bruises before transporting her to a nearby medical facility for further care.

Shortly after the first collision paramedics received word of a second collision a few kilometers away on the corners of Labelle and Old Paarl road.

When paramedics arrived at the scene they found that a Toyota RunX and a Corsa bakkie had collided in the intersection. A single male driver as well as a four year old girl was ejected from the Corsa bakkie.

The four year old girl had sustained various serious injuries. On scene paramedics treated the girl, but her condition started to deteriorate rapidly. Rescue workers started to resuscitate the girl, but she was unfortunately later declared dead at the scene.

The driver of the Corsa as well as the two other occupants from the RunX passenger vehicle received treatment at the scene for suspected back and neck injuries as well as various scrapes and bruises before being transported to nearby medical facilities by ER24 and Western Cape Provincial Department of Health: Emergency Medical Services.

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

Andre Visser, ER24

084 211 2277

[Witbank 14 May 2012 19:00]

Two men have been killed and another has sustained critical injuries following an accident involving a truck on Balmoral Road outside of Witbank.

The cause of the accident is not yet known, but only the large truck had been involved. The truck had rolled and had left the cabin so badly mangled that the three men were trapped inside. It had rolled over them, and two of the men had already died due to the extensive nature of injuries that they had sustained. Only one of the men had survived the accident, and paramedics placed him on life saving equipment while Fire and Rescue workers got to work trying to get him out. After a long and grueling process, the man was finally freed, and what appeared to be almost four hours later, the injured man was on his way to hospital. He was taken to Cosmos Hospital for further medical care.

The cause of the accident will be determined and investigated by the local authorities.
Vanessa Jackson, ER24

084 222 1078