New drivers will be taught first aid

Basic first-aid training, followed by a test, is to become compulsory for all Abu Dhabi driving licence applicants.

ABU DHABI // Basic first-aid training will be compulsory from next year for all Abu Dhabi driving licence applicants, who will have to pass a test before they are allowed to drive. The Government hopes the training will give drivers better knowledge and understanding of the way to treat roadside casualties, which could ultimately give some victims a better chance of survival. About three people die on UAE roads every day on average. In an attempt to reduce the number of accidents, stiffer penalties were introduced in March for offences such as not wearing seat belts and driving while using mobile phones.

Dr Jens Thomsen at Heath Authority Abu Dhabi said: "We are doing what a lot of other countries do. It makes sense. Of course we cannot prevent any future injuries from happening but we can do something about the outcome of existing injuries. "If drivers and pedestrians are able to provide and deliver first aid maybe the likelihood of reaching the hospital alive and surviving the injuries will be increased.

"This is just the first step," he said. "We need to finalise a lot of decisions such as where the training will take place, and we are working with the police to make sure it is implemented properly. "People need to know their limitations, they should know how and when to help, and when to do nothing at all." Dr Thomsen said the tender for the training went out last week and proposals must be received by Sept 24. He hopes to bring in an international company to work with a local agency. Trainers will need to be fluent in Arabic, English, Urdu or any other languages spoken by licence applicants.

The health authority has approached a number of agencies, including the Red Cross in Germany, Canada and the UK, for advice on how best to begin the training. The courses will cover such techniques as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and checking breathing and circulation. Under a five-year plan announced in May, reducing the number of road deaths is the health authority's second-highest priority, after ensuring universal health care.

According to a UAE University study, 1,056 people died in 8,872 road accidents last year. Dr Klaus Boecker, director of corporate performance and operations at the health agency, said that with so many road accidents and deaths, there was no excuse for not introducing first-aid training. He noted that some other countries, such as Germany, require it. He also said first-aid training would be useful in treating household injuries.

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