[Western Cape 10/11 May 2012]
Four accidents in the Western Cape in the last 24 hours has left multiple people with various injuries.
Yesterday afternoon, a bakkie carrying vegetables for the marker, with two occupants in the front cabin, left the N7 while travelling in the direction of Malmesbury, just before the N1 split. The bakkie then crashed into a precast concrete wall, approximately 50 meters from the road.
Paramedics expected the occupants to have sustained severe injuries due to the extensive damage to the single cab bakkie, but they found the two men were in a stable condition. The driver had a broken arm and what appeared to be a slight head injury, and he was treated for his pain by the Advanced Life Support paramedic. The passenger was treated for multiple deep cuts and bruises and both men were taken per ambulance to Tygerberg Hospital.
At around 7am this morning, Belville paramedics were called to Brighton Road in Kraaifontein where a motorbike had crashed into the left side of a taxi. It is not clear as to who was at fault but the Advanced Life Support paramedic immediately initiated life saving treatment on the motorcyclist. The man in his 30’s had sustained extensive injuries and after initially stabilising his condition on scene he was rushed through to Mediclinic Cape Gate for further care.
The taxi driver had been the only occupant of the taxi at the time of the accident, and he had suffered minor injuries only.
Shortly thereafter, reports came through to ER24 that a taxi, which was travelling in the direction of Hout Bay, had crashed head on with a car on Rhodes Drive in Constantia. An Audi had collided with the taxi as both vehicle were travelling on the mountain pass road. The taxi was damaged on the right side and the Audi on the front left. Approximately 10 patients had sustained various injuries and were in need of treatment. The patients were taken by ambulance to various hospital in the surrounding area by ambulances from the different services who had arrived on the scene.
In the same area, and on the other side of the mountain, an Audi had collided with a Land Rover Head on. The accident happened on Constantia Main Road at the M14 in Costantia.
Both vehicles were very badly damaged, and the six patients including one child, had fortunately only sustained minor to moderate injuries.
All of the patients were treated accordingly on scene before being taken to hospital by the various ambulance services.
Thanks to the Department of Health: Western Cape Emergency Medical Services and all other services working in conjunction with the ER24 paramedics, treating and transporting the injured patients, who were on the respective scenes.
Vanessa Jackson, ER24