Knowledge of first aid in road traffic accidents among drivers from the Staszów County

Abstract

Introduction. Considering the extent and consequences of road traffic accidents, drivers should know the principles of first aid. Aim. The aim of the study was to determine the scope of knowledge concerning principles of first aid provided in road traffic accidents among drivers of the Staszów County. Material and methods. The study encompassed 80 respondents, active drivers, mainly workers of state institutions. A diagnostic survey was carried out based on the author's questionnaire. Results. The number of individuals capable of taking proper action aimed at protecting basic vital functions was found to be too low; 1/10th respondent would not administer any life-or health-saving first aid. The lack of knowledge regarding the ratio of chest compressions to rescue breaths was observed in 43.75% of respondents while the proper depth of compressions during cardiac massage was known to 11.25% of respondents. Additionally, not all participants of road traffic knew alarm phone numbers and were aware of a legal obligation to administer first aid to accident victims. First aid courses expand the knowledge of pre-professional medical rescue activities. Conclusions. 1. Only a few drivers are prepared to administer first aid on the scene. A large proportion does not know the current guidelines of the European Resuscitation Council. 2. Effectiveness of first aid courses is low; therefore, the number of practical classes should be increased, so that each participant who completed the course could deliver proper first aid at the scene of a road traffic accident. Cyclic participation of drivers in first aid courses should be considered. 3. Besides driving tests, future drivers should take exams concerning rescue procedures at the scene of accident.

Road Traffic Accident : What Is Being Practiced on the Scene to RTA Casualties in Al-Ahsa City, Saudi Arabia ?

“…45.4% of the participants work as students, and 20.1% are professional drivers. The other occupations are presented in figure (2). The majority of the responders (61.9%) are single, 37.4% are married and 0.8% are divorced.…”

“…Road traffic accidents (RTA) burden is not only limited to injury and health, but also on economy and community [1,2] . RTA is a major concern for most of the countries because of the increasing number of deaths and disabilities occurred on the roads [3] .…”

“…First aid includes a set of actions performed for an injured person or a person suffering a sudden illness in sake of saving patient life by maintaining basic vital signs in optimal condition until the arrival of advance medical care [2,7] . Rescuing a victim of RTA is not limited to providing a proper first aid, it also includes calling the ambulance to provide the advanced management [2] . Providing first aid for car crash victims is very important to avoid irreversible brain damage caused by hypoxia which may ensue in a short time, i.e.…”

“…Providing first aid for car crash victims is very important to avoid irreversible brain damage caused by hypoxia which may ensue in a short time, i.e. 4-5 minutes [2] . 60% of all RTI deaths have occurred on the road before arriving to the hospital [9] .…”

“…It has been found that the post-crash care is largely ignored [6] . The studies in the European countries showed that only 10% of RTA victims had the chance to receive professional medical help within 10 minutes [2] . Also, it was reported that victims of RTA had poor pre-hospital care that was undertaken by untrained lay people who lack the knowledge and skills in handling such situations [10] .…”