Doctor: Don't Carelessly Move Accident Victims

Evacuation of accident victims that hit a grand max pickup type minibus on Muntok Street, Kace Village. (ANTARA/HO-Humas Kansar Pangkalpinang)

JAKARTA - An orthopedic and traumatological specialist who graduated from the University of Indonesia (UI), Dr. Imamul Aziz Albar, reminded not to arbitrarily move people lying down after an accident to prevent fatal injuries that endanger victims.

"Because we don't know, we suddenly mobilize or move (the victim), it turns out that the injury is in the neck. Because the neck is like an electric substation, so later it can be fatal (the injury)," said Imamul in an online discussion monitored in Jakarta, Antara, Friday, September 27.

If you see the victim who had a traffic accident, the first thing you can do is secure the location of the victim lying from another passing vehicle.

After that, immediately call for ambulance assistance and hand over the victim's handling to the medical staff.

"So, at least we help secure the location, then we help call people who are competent to help us help," he added.

When injured in an accident, said Imamul, the victim generally issued two types of responses. First, he felt pain and screamed and the two people were silent as if they were feeling nothing or even unconscious.

According to him, the accident victim who did not issue any response was more likely to suffer a fatal injury if handled not carefully, because the victim could not identify the source of the pain.

"Because (the victim) could not identify himself. Suddenly the injuries were cervical injuries, head injuries, neck injuries. We move it, it can actually be fatal," said Imamul.

Even if the victim is injured which is not too bad and allows to be moved, Imamul reminded him to do it carefully in the right way and to summon medical personnel to provide further treatment.

"It has to be more careful and I still suggest waiting (medical officers) while we secure the surrounding environment. If we can move it in good condition, move it in the right way," he said.