There is a call for first aid training to become a mandatory part of learning to drive. It’s being led by LeaseCar.uk after research revealed that up to 59% of deaths from an injury caused by a collision might have been prevented – if only first aid had been administered right away, instead of waiting for the emergency services to arrive.

These findings are backed up by Word Health Organisation analysis that claims 50% of deaths caused by road collisions happen almost immediately after the crash before medics can intervene.

Now factor in that there were 1,711 road death in Great Britain in 2022, which means 1,000 lives might have been saved if first aid had been given immediately.

Low confidence

The problem? The public isn’t confident enough to actually help someone who has been injured with only 5% feeling they’d be able to offer genuine help. To combat this, LeaseCar.uk says that first aid courses could be a real game-changer.

Obviously, the best time to introduce such training would be as part of learning to drive (as it is in other European countries). For instance, Swiss learner drivers must take a 10-hour first aid course made up of several modules as well as a written test and a practical assessment.

In Germany, learners are taught “instruction in life support” first aid in nine 45-minute sessions. Meanwhile, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary and the Baltic States all require learner drivers to have attained some level of first aid training before being allowed to qualify.

Back to the future

We’ve actually been here before in the UK – in 2016, the Driving Licence (Mandatory First Aid Training) Bill was unveiled that, if implemented, would have seen every learner driver receiving four hours of practical first aid training before being allowed to take a practical driving test.

Better still, such first aid knowledge could have been used across all types of emergency situations, and not just on our roads. However, the Bill ultimately came to nothing so the issue remains.

“It is disappointing that nothing came from the Mandatory First Aid Training Bill seven years ago,” says LeaseCar.uk’s Tim Alcock. “That’s why we’re urging the government to seriously reconsider introducing first aid training for drivers to help anyone who experiences a road accident.”

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