Dealing with the Immediate Aftermath of an Incident

Incidents on the road are all too frequent, and we never known when we might be involved, or witness a situation that could prove life threatening if not dealt with correctly, and in Spain, in order to deal with the immediate aftermath of an incident, the P.A.S. system is taught to drivers, but the advice is also equally valid in many other situations.

The P.A.S. system based on the first response to a situation, in which the primary concern should always be protection, then advising others, and then assisting those in need.

In Spanish, P.A.S. is derived from Proteger Avisar Socorrer, which we could translate to Protect, Advise, Assist.

Protect

Knowing what to do if you are involved in or witness a traffic incident can not only save the lives of the injured, but also your own. Never forget the three steps: Protect, Advise and Assist.

Self-protection. Park your own vehicle in a safe spot and wear your reflective vest before leaving it.

Keep away from a burning vehicle or if you notice that it is transporting dangerous goods.

Protect the incident site. Signal the area as soon as possible by placing warning triangles or emergency light, and switching on your hazard warning lights.

The V-16 emergency light is currently an optional replacement for warning triangles in Spain. In other words, it is currently mandatory to carry one or the other. However, as from 1 January 2026, the warning lights will completely replace warning triangles in Spain.

Advise

Call the emergency services on 112 (they speak multiple languages, including English).

Information to provide:

Location of the place of accident (street, number, kilometre point, if it is a two-way street, the address, and report any other detail that can assist in identifying your location quickly: chapel, restaurant …

The number of injured people and all the information you can provide (if unconscious, bleeding etc).

Special circumstances (the existence of trapped persons, danger of a falling vehicle, if they are transporting dangerous goods, if they fallen into water etc).

Characteristics and number of vehicles.

Wait from the controllers to confirm the details before hanging up.

Assist

Only when you have protected yourself and the scene, and summoned help, should you now assist others.

Be extremely careful in order to not add or aggravate injuries.

You should not move an injured person, nor remove them from the vehicle.

If they are a biker, do not remove the helmet.

Do not give drink, food or medication.

Do not allow them to move on their own.

Do not leave until emergency services say it is okay.

You should stay close to the injured party, if possible, at their side. Try to keep them calm.

If necessary, and if you are trained, perform first aid.

Remember, the first priority is to protect yourself and the scene, then summon help, and finally assist those involved, this is to ensure the safest possible outcome in any situation.