The British Red Cross is encouraging young drivers to undergo first aid training so that if they are in a crash or come across a road accident, they will know what to do.
The UK government is currently mulling over proposals to increase the age when a person can get a driving license to 18, in an attempt to reduce the number of young people who end up in road accidents. However, the Red Cross believes that this isn’t the only way to protect young drivers and other road users, and that first aid training could be really helpful.
The head of first aid education for the charity, Joe Mulligan, has a number of useful tips for young drivers, such as the following:
• Make sure you are safe before helping anyone else. If you come across an accident, make sure you park safely and turn off your engine before getting out to help. When you do approach the scene, make sure there are no risks to your safety such as traffic, broken glass or leaking petrol.
• Call 999 as soon as possible for serious accidents, or get someone else to do it
• Deal with bleeding wounds by using a T-shirt or whatever else is available to apply pressure and stop the flow of blood.
