After a collision: staying safe, helping and coping

The Car Care module (cc-05) covers reporting a minor bump step by step. This lesson goes further: what to do if a crash is serious, how to help safely if you are first on the scene, how to behave as a bystander, and how to look after yourself afterwards.

Watch the 1-minute overview

Watch the full video guide for this module

First seconds: make it safe

• The Highway Code says the main dangers after a crash are further collisions and fire. Switch off engines, warn other traffic if you can, and make sure nobody smokes nearby.
• Put your hazard lights on and get everyone who can walk out of the car and away from traffic, behind a barrier if there is one.
• Do not stand between vehicles or in a live lane to check damage or take photos.
• Breathe. Adrenaline makes people rush and argue. A calm minute now prevents a second crash.

Call for help

• u.ae says to call 999 from anywhere in the UAE, give the details of the accident and your location, and follow their instructions. The UAE ambulance number is 998 (Gulf News).
• u.ae says if anyone is hurt, leave all vehicles where they are and wait for an ambulance. If it is minor and nobody is hurt, move to the shoulder and wait at least 15 metres from your car.
• Tell the call handler the exact location (road name, direction, nearest exit or landmark), how many vehicles and how many people are hurt, as the Highway Code advises.
• If you are not sure where you are, use your phone's map to read out the location or share it.

If someone is hurt: keep it simple

• Your own safety comes first. If the scene is not safe, stay back, keep others back and wait for the emergency services.
• Call 999 (998 for an ambulance) and stay on the line. The call handler can tell you what to do until help arrives.
• The Highway Code says do not move casualties from vehicles unless there is a threat of further danger, and do not remove a motorcyclist's helmet unless it is essential.
• It also says to keep casualties warm, dry and calm, and not to give them anything to eat or drink.
• Only do what you have been trained to do. The First Aid module covers emergency first aid, and a recognised practical first aid course before you start driving is one of the best preparations you can make.

If you are a bystander

• If help is already there, keep driving and let emergency services work. Khaleej Times (2022) reports Dubai Police saying crowds make it harder for ambulances to reach the scene and can cause more accidents.
• Khaleej Times (2022) reported police fining people who gathered at accident sites, and warning that publishing photos of dead or injured people without permission is illegal. That report predates the 2025 traffic law, so current penalties may differ.
• Never film or share images of a crash. It hurts the families involved and can interfere with police investigations.
• If you saw what happened and nobody has called for help, stop safely ahead of the scene, call 999 and stay to give your account if police ask.

Afterwards: the practical and the emotional

• Never leave the scene of an accident without reporting it. Follow the reporting steps in the Car Care module (cc-05) and contact your insurer as cc-06 explains.
• Ask a doctor to check you over after a crash, even if you feel fine.
• Feeling shaky, tearful, angry or nervous about getting back in a car is common after a crash. Talk to family, friends or a school counsellor.
• The NHS lists a serious accident as one possible cause of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Signs include flashbacks, nightmares, avoiding reminders and feeling on edge all the time; they can start straight away or months later.
• If you notice these signs, see a doctor. The NHS says effective treatments include trauma-focused therapies, so you do not have to just live with it.