Over 20 people have died and more than 50 injured in less than six weeks – all involved being transported on the back of bakkies ER24 announced on Tuesday.
These shocking statistics relate only to incidents attended to by ER24.
ER24 urges the public to consider the implications of transporting people on the back of bakkies or any other open vehicles for that matter.
According to a statement by ER24 Spokesperson Chitra Bodasing “Standing or sitting on the back of bakkies or open trucks as well as overloading the vehicle can result in serious injuries and death regardless of what speed you are travelling at.
“You cannot guarantee the safety of your passengers. People should also be aware that sitting on the back of a bakkie with a canopy does not guarantee safety. We have attended to people who were injured when the canopy of the bakkie they were in detached.
“Over the past few weeks paramedics have attended to several incidents involving people who sadly lost their lives as a result of being ejected from the back of open vehicles.
“Injuries sustained ranged from minor to critical. Some injuries sustained included traumatic amputation, severe head injury and multiple fractures.
“Collisions included the death of several children including a baby who was about a year old. The most recent incidents included that of a bakkie allegedly losing control and colliding with a fence and house in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, on January 29. Seven children died and several others were injured.
“This was followed by another collision that claimed 10 lives on the N3 close to London Road, Gauteng, just two days later.
“We also urge people to make sure their vehicles are roadworthy, not to drive while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, to make sure they buckle up and ensure children are in the appropriate restraints.”
About ER24:
• ER24 is the premier private emergency medical care provider in South Africa that has been providing a range of quality emergency response and pre-hospital care services since 2 000.
• They operate from 45 bases throughout South Africa to provide realhelprealfast. Backed by a strong footprint in all major metropolitan areas and towns, they offer extensive support to both private and public hospitals throughout the country.
• As a wholly owned subsidiary of Mediclinic International, part of the Remgro Group of companies, which owns and manages 52 private hospitals in Southern Africa, ER24’s footprint extends globally. With 76 hospitals and clinics worldwide, Mediclinic is ranked as one of the top 10 private hospital groups in the world, based on the market capitalisation of listed private hospital groups. The Mediclinic Group also has interests in Switzerland (Hirslanden) and the United Arab Emirates (Emirate Healthcare Holdings Limited).
• ER24 owns its national 24-hour emergency Contact Centre. This facility has the technological capacity to provide a broad range of emergency medical services, including dispatching of emergency medical resources by air. They employ 100 staff in various departments in the Contact Centre, with tasks ranging from taking calls to evaluating the nature and severity of a situation, and dispatching the resources necessary to contain a given situation.
• ER24 is connected to an expansive network of emergency service bodies in an integrated scene management system. This allows us to draw on a variety of related services when emergencies arise. The Contact Centre also acts as a catalyst for ER24’s Site Based Medical Services.
