Making Australia’s roads safer is one of the major talking points throughout the industry. While that discussion usually comes back to things like road upgrades or truck safety, a NatRoad program has taken a different approach.
NatRoad, in partnership with St John Ambulance, has announced 1000 truck drivers have completed its online ‘Truckie First Aid’ program since its launch in October last year.
Truckie First Aid was developed by St John Ambulance in consultation with NatRoad due to the likelihood of truck drivers being the first responders to a crash or roadside incident.
Even with the fastest possible ambulance response times, early first aid interventions from those already on the scene can be crucial in saving lives.
NatRoad CEO Warren Clark says the program should be an important learning tool that is leveraged by truckies across Australia.
“Every day there are thousands of trucks on our roads across the country, including regional and some very remote stretches of road,” Clark says.
“Truck drivers are often first on the scene of an accident, where every second counts.
“This training provides operators with the lifesaving skills and confidence to help in those first critical minutes.
“I’d like to thank St John Ambulance Australia for working with us to create this course specifically for truck operators. It’s great to see so many of our membership stepping up and completing the training.”
At the time of writing 634 lives have already been lost on Australian roads in 2024.
First aid training rates in Australia remain low compared to other developed nation, however a 2023 poll of Australian adults found those who had completed some form of first aid training more than doubled the confidence to provide care to someone in an emergency situation.
St John Ambulance Australia Chief Operating Officer Adrian Watts says the program could significantly change the trucking industry.
“Courses like this allow us to get first aid knowledge and skills into the hands of our Australian public in a practical way that relates to their daily work and lifestyle,” Watts says.
“It’s such a useful course, empowering truckies with the knowledge and skills to be able to respond to a first aid emergency while they’re on the road.
“We want to say thanks to the first thousand participants who have really embraced it.”
Truckie First Aid is a free eLearning course that takes 30-40 minutes to complete, and guides participants through essential first aid skills. A certificate it issued upon completion.
Knowledge and skills are drawn from the DRSABCD (Danger, Response, Send, Airway, Breathing, CPR, Defibrillation) First Aid action plan and include intervention such as keeping an airway open, stemming a bleed, or performing CPR.
The course is available to all truckies here.
A QR code has also been printed onto written work diaries through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.
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