Woman's horrific injury after basic caravan mistake: 'Quite the blood spatter'
WARNING – GRAPHIC IMAGE: A woman's horrific finger injury has sparked a warning for other caravanning enthusiasts to be mindful of where you place your fingers.
The woman had taken her caravan to a repair shop and was struggling to hitch it to her car when she accidentally got her finger caught between the tow ball and the coupling.
The incident, which happened in the US state of Ohio, has sparked a warning from experts in Australia who told Yahoo News accidents can happen quickly if you're unprepared.
A gory photo shows the American woman's fingertip stuck to the tow ball, with a trail of nerve endings hanging out. 'There was quite the blood spatter up the back of the vehicle from them ripping it out,' a worker at the repair centre said.
Gary Gardiner from Total Towing Setups told Yahoo News he's heard of fingers and hands being 'pinched and crushed' over his 25 years in the caravanning industry.
'I might've heard of half a dozen or so [accidents] where they've somehow got their hand in the way as they were trying to manoeuvre the coupling left or right to make it line up with the ball,' he said, but admitted it's the first time he's seen anyone lose a body part.
'There is no need for hands or fingers in or around the coupling itself or the tow ball. Just keep everything well and truly clear.'
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On Facebook, viewers were horrified by the finger injury — and some had their own stories to share.
One woman said her husband had also crushed his thumb between the ball and the coupling before. Another person said their wife 'basically cut her fingers off' when she checked to see if the camper was attached properly. 'The full weight of the camper shifted and caught her finger,' the commenter wrote.
A man even posted a photo of his healed hand after losing the tip of his index finger the same way. 'Been there,' he said.
Connecting a vehicle to a caravan or trailer is a 'slow process usually' and should be 'simple and basic', Gardiner said, offering some tips:
When purchasing a caravan, make sure the dealer or previous owner explains how to use the coupling
When reversing a car to the trailer, keep everyone clear of the moving vehicle
When you're lowering the coupling on to the ball, keep all your hands and fingers well out of the way
When the coupling is in place, lock it down and make sure it is secure
Put electrical leads and safety chains in place before driving
Gardiner teaches caravan safety and will be holding masterclasses twice daily at the Let's Go Gold Coast Caravan & Outdoor Expo from February 7 to 9.
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