Western Australia · Drive Safe · chapter 8 · 15 min read

The Law and You

4.2.8 Bonnet flies up If your bonnet flies up while you are driving: ƒ slow down; ƒ look through the gap under the hinge of the bonnet or use side windows to retain a view of the road; and ƒ brake smoothly to a stop, pulling off the road as soon as possible. 4.2.9 Shattered windscreen If your windscreen shatters while you are driving: ƒ slow down; and ƒ pull over to the side of the road as soon as possible. 4.2.10 Car fire Most vehicle fires are caused by a short circuit in the electrical system. If this happens: ƒ slow down and stop and turn off the ignition; ƒ get any passengers out of the car and away from the fire; ƒ if the fire is beyond control, move away – petrol may cause an explosion; ƒ if you have an appropriate extinguisher, use it to put out the fire; ƒ if you do not have an extinguisher, try to extinguish the flames with a thick cloth or garment, sand or dirt; ƒ try to isolate and remove the cause. Disconnect the battery quickly if possible. If this is not practicable rip loose any burning wires with a handy instrument; ƒ NEVER touch burning wires or insulation with your bare hands; and ƒ call for help.

4.2.11 Skids

A skid occurs when your car’s wheels lock and the car is being dragged along by its own momentum. When this happens, you lose steering control. The only way to regain control of the car is to stop the skid. What causes skids? A skid does not just happen. It is almost always the result of a driver’s actions, such as: ƒ sudden or excessive braking; ƒ harsh acceleration; ƒ coarse or uncontrolled steering; or ƒ excessive speed. Skids are dangerous at all times, but certain conditions can make them even worse. For example: ƒ poor car maintenance, such as bald tyres and low tyre pressure; and ƒ road conditions – water, oil or sand on the road can make it slippery. The ABC of avoiding skids. You are unlikely to have much time or space to correct a skid. A clear understanding of the causes of skidding will help you to avoid them. Adjust your speed to suit driving conditions and always remember the ABC of skid prevention: ƒ Accelerate gently. ƒ Brake gently. ƒ Corner gently.

4.2.12 Post Crash Management A crash is something you will try to avoid. However, should you be involved in one, you must know what to do. If you are involved in a crash: ƒ stop immediately; ƒ help anyone who has been injured but before doing so, check that your actions do not put yourself or others in danger. Send someone for help if required; ƒ give your name, address and number plate to the owner or driver of the other vehicle. If property has been damaged, give the owner of the property your particulars as well; ƒ if someone has been injured, report the crash online at www.crashreport.com.au. Provide the name and address of all drivers, number plates of all vehicles, time, date and location of the crash; and ƒ if any injury has occurred, or if there is more than $3,000 damage done to vehicles and/or property (in total), or if the owner of the damaged property is not present, you MUST report the crash to the police. If you are involved in a crash where someone has been injured you must stop immediately and help. If you do not stop, the penalties are very severe. You could be imprisoned, lose your licence, be fined or accrue demerit points. If you are removing a wrecked or damaged vehicle from a road, you must also remove any glass or other destructive, injurious or dangerous substance or item that has fallen on the road from that vehicle. If the driver of the vehicle is injured, the person who removes the vehicle from the road is responsible for removing any dangerous or loose material. What to do if you need a tow after an accident. It is an offence for a tow truck operator to force, trick, threaten or pester a person to sign up for a tow. ƒ Phone your insurance company telling them the car needs towing; ask for the name of the tow company and driver the insurer is sending. ƒ Don’t be fooled by tow truck operators who say they can tow for anybody; they can legally, but they may not be the preferred operator and you could be leaving yourself open to outrageous fees. If a tow truck driver is a nuisance ask police to intervene. ƒ Not insured? Make sure the tow truck driver gives you a cost and writes you an invoice before signing. The cost of the tow is just the start of charges. There are additional fees like storage fees and excess kilometres. Police can also decide if a driver involved in an accident is too injured or traumatised to authorise towing, in which case police can assign the job.

4.3 First Aid

When someone is injured, the first few minutes after a crash are vital. Until trained help arrives, your knowledge of first aid may save a life. An injured person may have life- threatening injuries, such as a blocked airway or severe bleeding. Consider undertaking a first aid course so you are prepared to help at the scene of a crash.