“Three serious traffic accidents within weeks: Crisis team advises on coping and support”

Three teenagers are seriously injured after a traffic accident in Flekkefjord on Monday morning. After three serious traffic accidents in the region within a short time, the head of the municipality’s crisis team has clear advice.

Ola Vassbø is the municipal chief physician in Flekkefjord and Lyngdal and head of the municipality’s crisis team in Flekkefjord. On Monday evening, he was one of the representatives of the municipality who met pupils, parents and others concerned at a gathering at Flekkefjord upper secondary school.

– It is incredibly important now that all relatives, parents, drug addicts and others affected are not alone and talk to others about the feelings that come, says Vassbø.

– One of the most important messages tonight is to motivate them to take care of each other, says the superior.

The doctor is concerned with normalizing a wide range of emotions.

– Dare to stand in the feeling that comes.

– Many will feel guilty that it did not affect them, others will be angry, sad or scared. Everything is just as normal. The most important thing is that they talk to someone about it. A friend, a parent, an aunt, anyone they trust and who is able to actively listen, says Vassbø.

Here you can read about the three accidents (the article continues under the links):

– Why is it so important to put feelings into words?

– It is the way we get to process the feelings we get. Many people are ashamed of the feelings they get at the beginning, but they will change and by talking about them it will be easier to manage them in a proper way, says the superior.

– Most municipalities in Norway also have helplines that you can call to get someone to talk to in such situations, emphasizes Vassbø.

Avoid alcohol

Another important piece of advice is to avoid alcohol.

– Because alcohol intensifies the negative feelings, especially in young people, says Vassbø.

Vassbø says that part of their job now is to actively track down and make contact with all those affected.

– Because this is a small local community where everyone knows everyone. And it’s not just fellow students who are affected, it could be a football team, or the workplace where someone was an apprentice, says the superior.

He says that those who work in the crisis team in Flekkefjord stood up in connection with the fatal accidents in Moi, and that in connection with the accident on Monday they have received support from the crisis teams in the neighboring municipalities.

– All the crisis teams line up and then we distribute tasks as best we can so that no one gets exhausted.

Looking for the cause of the accident

In connection with Monday’s accident, technicians from the police and the Norwegian Public Roads Administration worked on the scene. Acting lawyer at the Agder police district, Johan Martin Kile, states that they are working to clarify the cause of the accident.

– For reasons of further investigation, I cannot now go into more detail about which witnesses have been questioned and who are planned to be questioned. Any comments on how and why this occurred must come later, writes Kile in an e-mail to VG.