With miles and miles of rural roads throughout eastern Washington, it’s important to know what to do if you get into a crash on a remote road.
July 14-18 is Rural Road Safety Week and Douglas County is reminding all Washingtonians of what to do after a crash.
“Post-crash care is critical to saving lives,” Douglas County posted on social media. “It helps get emergency services on scene faster, protects others at the crash site and prevents secondary accidents.”
According to the National Center for Rural Road Safety, a crash victim’s chance of surviving a crash decreases 3% for every minute medical care is delayed.
Rural and Tribal communities often have many challenges in receiving post-crash medical care due to lack of communications infrastructure, limited Emergency Medical Services, lengthy transportation time to the nearest rural hospital and an increased need to travel over difficult terrain, especially during bad weather.
Douglas County said drivers involved in a crash, passersby and first responders should all know what to do after a crash:
– Call 911 immediately
– Stay alert and visible
– Warn others and stay safe
For more important safety information, visit www.ruralsafetycenter.org.
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