AccidentNotifications
Purpose / Aim
The purpose of the Accident Notifications section is to ensure that investigation teams are aware of the accidents as they are occurring. Furthermore, it is valuable to ensure that the teams are meeting their sampling criteria in a timely manner and are able to monitor and report sampling rates.
Methods
Retrospective & On-scene
It is important to ensure that the accident notification information adequately identifies all accidents that meet the sampling criteria. Also, the alarms must provide detailed information on the location of the accident.
Teams must record notifications about all accidents occurring in the sample region during the pilot study and note which accidents were accepted and rejected, and the reasons why. The accident notification data should be used to produce a brief report at the end of the pilot study.
Investigation teams should also consult the Sampling Plan to determine whether the accident notifications are meeting the sampling criteria.
Retrospective
Accident notification should be received within 24 hours of the accident occurrence to allow the team adequate time to collect as much of the remaining information from the scene of the accident as possible.
On-scene
For on-scene investigations, instant notification (e.g. by e-mail, two-way radio, SMS, etc.) from the police or other emergency services when an accident occurs are required to enable the team to reach the scene of the collision before it is cleared.
Experience has shown that real-time accident notification information can lack important details. Some teams may therefore need to go on-scene to determine if accidents are to be investigated without knowing beforehand whether they fit within the Sampling Plan requirements (i.e. if the accident on a public road, road user hospitalisation status, if vehicles or road users are on-scene, etc.).
Equipment
Please refer to the Accident Notification section of the Equipment List for the Accident Notifications equipment list.
Arrangements
Cooperation/agreements with the police or other emergency services to receive accident notification as soon as possible.