John Purcell was in his backyard when he heard an "almighty explosion".
"The house shook a little bit," he said.
Heading out the back gate and onto the street, the Kambah resident saw two vehicles had crashed head-on. Debris covered the road and a small group of passers-by had started to gather and offer what assistance they could.
On Monday night a 42-year-old man died after a crash on Sulwood Drive in Kambah, ACT Policing are investigating the cause.
According to police a Volkswagen station wagon travelling westbound on Sulwood Drive crossed over into the eastbound lanes, colliding with an Audi 4WD head-on.
The driver of the Volkswagen was trapped in his vehicle until emergency services removed him, however, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The female driver of the 4WD was removed from her vehicle and taken to Canberra Hospital with significant, though not life-threatening, injuries.
Mr Purcell was one of the first on the scene, rendering assistance before emergency services arrived.
"One vehicle was up against the guard rail, completely smashed in the front and the driver was inside," he said.
"We tried to get into the car but it was a physical impossibility. The driver was deeply trapped and the airbags were inflated, and we tried every device possible.
"We went over to the other car. It had propelled across the road and a woman was trapped in that car, but she was able to communicate."
Two tradesmen tried to free the occupants with a crow bar but the doors would not budge.
"[One of the men] was very energetic, he tried to kick the door and use the crowbar but to no avail," Mr Purcell said.
Knowing the crash would be investigated by ACT Policing, Mr Purcell had concerns around the role of bystanders beyond providing emergency help and the impact they have on evidence.
"People were sweeping the street and picking up debris and other cars were still slowly transiting through the crash site," he said.
"I stopped traffic coming from the Mount Taylor side and vehicles were very reluctant.
"One [driver] yelled at me and said 'who appointed you traffic controller' and then accelerated and just missed me and sped through the crash scene."
Soon the fire brigade arrived and blocked off the road before taking control of the situation.
An ACT Policing spokesperson outlined a course of action for people who arrive at a crash before emergency services.
"If you witness a collision - the first thing to do is to alert emergency services. Please ensure you are aware of the road you are on and then provide as much information as you can - such as the severity of the collision, the number of occupants and if they are conscious," they said.
"We recognise not everyone is confident or trained to provide first aid but assistance could be as simple as reassuring the people involved that help is on the way. A small amount of help can make a big difference to those that find themselves involved in a collision.
"If you can't stay at the collision site you should also keep aware of ACT Policing messaging to see if we are calling for witnesses for the investigation into the collision."
If you arrive at a collision scene with no emergency services or other assistance present, do the following:
- Park your vehicle off the road with your hazard lights on
- Confirm that someone has called triple zero
- Check on the people that are either in the vehicles or nearby
- Provide reassurance and first aid if appropriate
- Always keep aware of your surroundings and other vehicles
Mr Purcell says car crashes are common on Sulwood Drive, an 80km/h zone and linking road between Tuggeranong Parkway and Erindale Drive.
The ACT Government has identified the duplication of Sulwood Drive as a long-term objective in 20 plus years.
The community has been agitating for to make the road safer for at least four years.
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