The traffic officers, who patrol England’s motorways and
major A-roads 24 hours a day, are often first on the
scene to help when drivers are in trouble.
Safer journeys across England’s motorways and A-roads is
the top priority for Highways England, but if incidents
do occur what happens in the first minutes following a
road traffic collision can be crucial to the outcomes of
those involved.
The first priority for Traffic Officers is making the
scene safe for everyone, which may mean controlling
moving traffic, moving vehicles and helping customers
find a place of safety.
Once the scene is safe, Traffic Officers can then put the
nationally recognised Driver First Assist training into
practice. The training is also specific to the
environment Traffic Officers work in, and signals a
change in how our staff can provide direct assistance
that can save lives in the crucial few minutes before the
emergency services arrive.
Highways England Executive Director of Operations, Nick
Harris, said:
I strongly feel that traffic officers should be able to
perform lifesaving first aid to members of the public
using our roads. Combining life-saving first aid
training with key scene management will help our staff
safely make a real difference for our customers.
By teaming up with Driver First Assist our traffic
officers will receive the expert training needed for
this important task.
The training began last month in the South East region
and will be rolled out nationally.
The one-day course is the same training that is received
by emergency services personnel and includes instructions
in how to implement the recovery position and CPR,
respond to a cardiac arrest and shock, and treat wounds
and bleeding.
David Higginbottom, chief executive officer at Driver
First Assist said:
Every day, victims of road traffic collisions die
needlessly because individuals immediately at the scene
lack the ability to administer basic first aid. The
training we’re delivering to Traffic Officers will give
them the skills to provide medical assistance to those
in need, making a vital difference in those first
crucial moments before the arrival of paramedics.
Driver First Assist is a not-for-profit organisation
comprising drivers who have been trained to provide
life-saving first aid and manage the scene at a road
traffic collision, prior to the arrival of the emergency
services. DFA has been created in partnership with and is
supported by the Police, Ambulance and Fire and Rescue
services.
