Simulated accident aids response

Update Video

GRAAFF-REINET NEWS AND VIDEO - A motor vehicle accident simulation exercise was staged near Graaff-Reinet on Thursday 11 November to test the capability of emergency services in the area when responding to a serious accident scene.

The exercise comprised an orchestrated accident scene between two motor vehicles on the N9 between Graaff-Reinet and Aberdeen.

Emergency services responded to the simulation organised by Disaster Management, the Road Incident Management Society (RIMS) and the South African National Road Agency.

Participating emergency services included ambulance services, paramedics, firefighting services, traffic control, the police, route maintenance and Graaff-Reinet Community Safety Unit/Graaff-Reinet Veiligheidseenheid (GVE).

Denzel Rockman of RIMS was satisfied with the level of skill and the response time of all the emergency services. He thanked all participants for their dedication and commitment in working together to save lives. Road users are urged to be vigilant and considerate at all times to avoid accidents.

"Simulations of real accidents help to provide deeper insight into the dynamics of traffic accidents," he said. "Whereas collisions between passenger cars and ones between passenger cars and motorcycles have been simulated and analysed often, hardly any such experiments involving commercial vehicles have been carried out until now."

He said the exercise would prepare emergency services for traffic-related incidents during the festive season. Rockman thanked Zanele Dyayiya of the Sarah Baartman District Municipality's disaster management department, emergency services and other role players for the exercise.