Harrowing road safety message
A paramedic has described his harrowing experiences of picking up the pieces after a fatal road traffic collision.
As the RAC's Risky Roads campaign which asks road users to nominate dangerous roads in WA gets into full swing and holidaymakers get behind the wheel to head off on their travels, St John Ambulance paramedic Dave Joseph has urged drivers to consider the trauma experienced by road accident responders.
Mr Joseph has been attending road accidents for 21 years and knows the reality behind the safety messages.
"The worst accident I've attended was a high-speed crash where four people were killed," he said.
"One of the drivers had fallen asleep at the wheel and crossed over to the wrong side of the road.
"One moment they were all there, and then the next they were gone.
"It's real, it happens."
Mr Joseph urged drivers to consider the whole community when making decisions behind the wheel.
"I live here in Karratha, (so) I see how people drive and the silly decisions people make," he said.
"It only takes one moment to have an accident that will affect you for the rest of your life, and it's not just you, but the whole community and the people that attend - the ambos, the police, the SES, the fire brigade."
Mr Joseph said paramedics were trained to a point where they could do their job without being affected by it at the time and were debriefed afterwards to ensure they were looked after.
However, living in a small community it was impossible for responders not to encounter the difficult situation of seeing someone they know at a crash scene.
"I've had it happen a couple of times," he said.
"You don't know what hat to wear - you're their friend, their saviour - but when it happens you're able to talk to the person and do your job."
Anyone interested in joining St John Ambulance can visit the Karratha sub centre on Mondays from 7pm.
Mr Joseph said they were always on the lookout for more volunteers.
To learn more about the Risky Roads campaign visit riskyroads.com.au.
