POLL: Do you stop to help a fellow motorist?
Chances are those legends in the yellow van are already on their way but, until then, do you have a moral responsibility to stop and help a motorist broken down on the side of the road?
According to RAA Senior Manager for Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain, stopping to help is courteous but comes with a safety warning.
“When you’ve broken down, it can be a lonely, desolate experience as you watch others driving past and, of course, it can be highly dangerous,” Charles says.
Stop or pass?
How to help safely
You’re driving along Marion Road and see a vehicle with its hazard lights on and the bonnet up. You want to stop to see if you can help. Here’s how to assist safely.
- Slow down and, if it’s safe, park in a place that’s out of the path of traffic and put on your hazard lights.
- Check it’s safe to leave the vehicle. If you’re by yourself, lock your car when you get out. If you have passengers, get them to lock the doors for their own safety.
- Never stand between the broken-down vehicle and passing or oncoming traffic.
- Always face oncoming traffic so you can see approaching vehicles.
- If the vehicle breakdown appears staged, stop away from the scene and report it to police.
Final word
Whether you’re a good Samaritan on the streets or drive past without stopping, the choice to render assistance is entirely yours. That said, stopping to check on someone’s welfare or simply making sure roadside assistance is on the way can be particularly helpful for someone who genuinely needs help.
“If you’ve been in that situation, especially in remote areas, and someone has stopped to check on your welfare or render assistance, it restores your faith in human nature,” Charles says.
“But more importantly, stopping could be the difference between life and death.”