25. Traffic Accident, Breakdown on the Road (Dopravní nehoda, porucha na silnici)

If speaking about traffic accidents we must say it is much better to avoid them. There are hundreds of dead people on our roads every year and the number of them is permanently increasing. We should drive safe, be careful about maximum speed, traffic signs, don’t drive under the influence of drink or drugs.

When the car accident happens, we have to find out if somebody is hurt and to report the accident as soon as possible. We have to put a warning triangle on the hard shoulder. There are important telephone numbers we have to know: rescue or the ambulance, fire-brigade and the Police. In our country it is 150, 155 and 158 (112). In UK we call 999, in the USA 911. On the motorway we find the nearest emergency telephone box. If somebody is injured we get the doctor quickly. Before doctor’s coming we have to afford first aid to seriously injured people. There is a first-aid kit (box) in every car. First of all we have to stop bleeding if there is some, to restore breathe and do anti-shocking arrangement. We have to get help quickly.

After Police coming all persons involved in accident and witnesses must describe it. The maps showing the situation are drawn. The drivers have to give some personal information (address, phone number, number of the insurance).

In case of breakdown on the road, we have to push the car to the side of the road (onto the shoulder).
There are several solutions of this situation:
We ask another driver if he can give us a lift to the nearest service station
We can ask another driver if he can take our car in tow
We can call a breakdown vehicle
We can ask another driver if he can help us repair our car (change tyres), or if he can give us the jump start

We can ask another driver if he can lend us some useful instruments: spanner (klíč), plug spanner (klíč na svíčky), screwdriver (šroubovák), pair of pliers (kleště), four-way rim wrench (klíč na kola), lever-jack (zvedák), inflation pump (hustilka).