What to Do After a Crash in Victoria: Your Legal Duties and Basic First Aid

Your legal duties

If you are in a crash that causes death or injury and you do not stop and help, you can face a heavy fine and/or up to 10 years' imprisonment, and you lose your licence for at least two years. After any crash:

1. Stop immediately.
2. Give assistance to any injured person.
3. Give your name, address, vehicle registration details and the vehicle owner's name to the other parties or their representative, and to police if they attend.
4. If anyone is hurt and police are not there, report the crash to the nearest open police station.
5. If property is damaged and the owner or police are not there, report to the nearest open police station.

On most freeways, VicRoads Help Phones link to the Traffic Management Centre and work 24 hours a day for breakdowns or any emergency.

First aid: four steps

1. Survey the scene. Is it safe? Count the injured, call 000 and ask if anyone has first aid training.
2. Make the scene safe. Use hazard lights or headlights, send someone to warn approaching traffic and turn off ignitions in damaged vehicles.
3. Check casualties. Check airway, breathing and signs of life. A conscious person who is breathing does not need to be removed from a vehicle unless they stop breathing, get worse or it is unsafe to stay.
4. Stop heavy bleeding. Press firmly with clean cloth, tie the pad in place and raise the injured area if you can.

The three priorities are an open airway, breathing and controlling heavy bleeding. Move a casualty only if you must, and do so gently because of the risk of spinal injury. Use gloves or another barrier if possible and wash your hands afterwards. A first aid course will teach you CPR.

Motorcycle crashes

Remove a helmet only if absolutely necessary: when the rider is unconscious, the airway is blocked, or clearing it is uncertain. Use two people if possible, one steadying the head and neck.

Breakdowns

Pull over safely, as far left as possible, and use hazard lights. Call roadside assistance and stay clear of traffic. On a freeway or country road, do not change a tyre yourself. If you pass a breakdown, slow to about 30 km/h below the limit. See hazard lights and emergency vehicles.

Based on the Victorian Road to Solo Driving handbook and the VicRoads learner and probationary pages. Rules change from time to time, so check vicroads.vic.gov.au for the latest.