After facing a horrific moment on the road, Lara Rossouw found new purpose in turning her experience into support for others.
Jansenville, South Africa (27 August 2025) – When Lara Rossouw set out on the long drive back from Port Elizabeth to Bloemfontein, she expected nothing more than the usual stretches of road and a podcast keeping her company. Instead, she found herself at the centre of a harrowing roadside tragedy that changed her perspective on travel and inspired her to help others be better prepared.
A few kilometres outside Jansenville, Lara became the first person on the scene of a head-on collision. Smoke and steam filled the air, and at first, the silence made her fear the worst.
“I was almost too scared to approach the cars, waiting for them to explode,” she wrote on a Facebook post.
What followed was a blur of screams, blood, and confusion. One passenger was flung across seats, another drifted in and out of consciousness, and several were trapped in wreckage that took hours to dismantle without jaws of life equipment. Lara admits she felt “clueless and overwhelmed” until trained medics happened to arrive in a later vehicle. Their presence calmed the chaos, but the experience left her shaken.
Driving away afterwards, Lara kept replaying the scene in her mind. What if she had been alone with no medics? What if it had been her loved ones trapped inside? Would she have known how to help?
Instead of allowing the trauma to end there, Lara chose to turn this ordeal into something greater. A set of practical lessons for every South African road user. With festive season traffic looming, when crashes spike across the country, her advice could save lives.
Here are three of the most vital tips she shares:
Know the global emergency number: 112
Unlike normal calls, it connects via satellite, even when there’s no cellphone signal, and allows you to request police, ambulance, or fire services.
Use route marker boards to give your exact location
Found along all major roads, these signs show the route name, kilometre position, and direction of travel. Critical details when emergency responders need to reach you quickly.
Stay calm and observe
Giving medics accurate details. Like how many people, their visible injuries, or even changes in consciousness can make the difference between life and death.
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Her story is a reminder that any one of us could be first at the scene. But, as Lara has shown, with the right knowledge, we can all be part of saving lives. You can read the full list of tips she shared via her Facebook page here.
Sources: Lara Rossouw
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