What to do in the first 5 minutes
Published 11 August 2026
Last updated 11 August 2026
If you're the first person to arrive at the scene of a serious road collision, knowing how to respond can make a real difference. Learn what to do if you find yourself first on the scene and how you can help.
Every year, thousands of people arrive first at the scene of a serious road collision. Most have no medical training. Most have no warning. And almost all of them want to help but are not sure how.
You do not need to be a paramedic to make a difference. Research shows that bystander actions in the minutes before emergency services arrive can influence whether someone lives or dies. What matters is not expertise: it is doing the right things, in the right order, without putting yourself at risk.
Here are 5 things to do if you’re first at the scene.
1. Keep yourself safe
Before you approach, take a moment to look: Is traffic still moving? Is there fuel on the road, smoke, or any sign of fire? Are you visible to other drivers?
Park where you do not obstruct emergency access but where other drivers and riders can see you, and switch on your hazard lights. If you have a high-visibility vest in your vehicle, put it on. Switch off all engines but stay well back from any vehicle showing signs of fire, fluid leaks, or unusual smoke. Also keep clear of damaged power lines or exposed electrical components, particularly on electric and hybrid vehicles.
If it’s not safe to approach, the most useful thing you can do is stay back, stay visible, and call for help.
2. Call 999
Call 999 early, even if you’re not sure how serious things are. Do not worry if you think someone else may have already called: call anyway. Duplicate calls are far better than no call at all, and the handler will be able to confirm whether help is already on its way. The most useful information you can give is
- where you are (What3Words is the fastest way to share a precise location if you have the app)
- how many vehicles and people are involved
- whether anyone appears to be unconscious or trapped
- whether there are obvious hazards.
Stay on the line: the handler can tell you what to do while help is on its way.
3. Check who needs help most
You do not need to perform a clinical assessment. What you’re looking for is simple.
- Is anyone unconscious?
- Is anyone bleeding heavily?
- Is anyone in immediate danger from traffic, fire, or their position in the vehicle?
Start with the people who are silent or unresponsive: they’re often those who need the most urgent attention. People who are shouting or moving are, at least for the moment, conscious and breathing.
4. Offer what help you can
Talk calmly to someone who is frightened and in pain, tell them that help is coming, and stay with them. This reduces distress and may reduce the risk of further harm. It costs nothing and requires no training.
If someone’s bleeding heavily and you feel able to help, apply firm, direct pressure with the cleanest cloth you can find, for example a shirt or scarf. It can be life-saving.
Keep people warm using coats or blankets from your vehicle.
Do not move anyone unless they’re in immediate danger from fire, rising water, or other traffic. If someone’s not breathing, you may need to move them to start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). If someone’s unconscious but breathing and you know how to place them in the recovery position, you should do so.
5. Stay until help arrives
When emergency services arrive, give them a clear, simple handover: what you saw when you arrived, what you did, and anything that has changed. This information is more useful than most people realise. After that, your job is done. Look after yourself after the incident. Witnessing a serious collision can be distressing, and it’s normal to feel shaken, even if things appeared to go well. We will return to this in a later blog in this series.
Bystanders who take safe, simple actions early give injured people a better chance, and the evidence supports this. Someone who helps in good faith is very unlikely to face legal consequences.
You do not need to be an expert. We want everyone ready to help, whether that is keeping yourself safe, making the call, or doing what you safely can until help arrives.
Tim Nutbeam is a Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Professor of Post-Collision Care at the University of Plymouth, and a Critical Care Doctor with Devon Air Ambulance. He leads IMPACT, the Centre for Post-Collision Research, Innovation and Translation (www.post-collision.com). Rob Fenwick is a researcher at IMPACT and an Emergency Medicine Consultant Nurse. IMPACT’s work is supported by the Road Safety Trust and Vision Zero South West,