In the fatal accident on the N242 in Heerhugowaard, several people tried to take photos and videos. They were sent away by paramedics. A 21-year-old man died in the head-on collision Monday morning, another victim (27) is still in hospital. “What if it’s your family?”
The serious accident happened around 7.10 am: the car of a Heerhugowaard (27) ends up on the other lane via the central reservation and crashes into an oncoming vehicle from Heerhugowaard (21).
A third car with a Frisian (53) in it also becomes involved. The man is slightly injured. The Heerhugowaarders must both be freed from the vehicles.
First aid is also provided on the N242 and attempts are made to resuscitate a victim: the road has been closed for hours. It now appears that at that time bystanders tried to take photos and videos, and the police experienced this ‘on several occasions’.
‘Trying to save a life’
“After the accident, people stood still along the road. A number of them then got out of the car and walked to the site to take photos and videos,” police spokesman Roderick de Veen describes.
His colleagues who were on the N242 on Monday morning asked him to draw attention to this. De Veen understands that when something so violent happens, it does something to you.
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“But when we’re busy there, perhaps saving someone’s life, we don’t need bystanders standing on top of it with their cellphones.” He asks bystanders to think for a moment before doing such a thing. “Suppose it is your father, mother, sister or brother who is lying there, would you also take out your mobile?”
The seriously injured Heerhugowaarder, 27, is currently still in hospital. De Fries did not have to go to hospital. Police are still investigating the cause of the accident.
Dashcam images
They can do something about that use help: If you were in the area on the N242 around 7.10 am on Monday morning and have a dashcam, the police would like to have those images. At the moment no one has registered yet.
If you have images of during or after the accident: distribution online is absolutely not the intention, the police emphasizes. “We as a police can make agreements with the media – if we have not yet notified the victims’ families, for example.”
Sometimes there is a delay before posting a news item. But with the bystander videos, there is no control. “Sometimes we first have to go to the relatives’ house for ‘a bad news conversation’. For example, if someone has died. Suppose the family sees a video on the internet before that time?”