«The teaching of life-saving maneuvers is also mandatory in driving school courses»- breaking latest news

Why aren’t resuscitation maneuvers taught in Italy even at driving school? The question is far from idle and deserves serious reflection. In fifteen out of thirty-four countries (44%) in Europe and Great Britain, citizens are obliged to follow a BLS (Basic life support) course to obtain a category B driving license according to a survey carried out by European driving schools association (EFFthe association of European driving schools) e European resuscitation council (ERC, the European scientific society that promotes cardiac arrest guidelines).

Efa and Erc recently invited all the member states of the European Community and not only to carry out awareness campaigns towards the institutions to make BLS training mandatory during the acquisition of the B driving license. intuitive, as was making the teaching of first aid compulsory in schools with the law of 4 August 2021 n.116 which, however, 643 days after its approval still remains a dead letter because the implementing decrees have not been published (it was also Launched a collection of signatures on Change.org to ask the Ministries of Health and Education to remedy it urgently): only in Italy, people who have obtained the driving license B they were 424,752 in 2020, 636,650 in 2021 and 591,877 in 2022.

“The simple idea of ​​having a capillary network of trained drivers capable of intervening in the event of cardiac arrest even to passers-by or other road users has a gigantic reach,” he says Manuel Picardi, General Secretary of Efa. For this reason a collaboration agreement was signed with Erc («Learn to Drive. Learn CPR») to try to increase the survival of victims of cardiac arrest. The goal is precisely that the BLS courses become mandatory for the acquisition of a driving license in all European countriesthus increasing the number of potential “witnesses” able to initiate life-saving maneuvers in victims of cardiac arrest. A project whose sustainability could work, for example, “recruiting” the trainers from among the laymen/driving school instructors themselves.

An impressive phenomenon

Cardiac arrest is a serious health problem in Europe and worldwide. It strikes over 400 thousand people every year in Europe and 60 thousand in Italy. Cardiac arrest often occurs in the face of people who are not sanitary, which means that immediate initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can double or triple the victim’s chances of survival. It is therefore essential to raise awareness, educate and equip people to perform CPR before professional help arrives.

«European driving schools interact with around 90% of the population who need to acquire driving skills. Driving school teachers are naturally competent in imparting knowledge and skills in handling vehicles in safety, as well as in spreading the values ​​necessary to guarantee a peaceful coexistence between the various road users. Today more than ever, conscious driving entails a multiple responsibility, towards the law, towards civil society. Teaching cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a strategic goal which we all must aim to improve the culture of solidarity. The collaboration with Erc will allow us to work together on this important goal. In this sense we are working to make this training mandatory as wellduring the process of obtaining the B driving license in Europe» says Picardi.

Video

The initiative «Learn to Drive. Learn CPR» makes use of an effective communication tool, namely the distribution of an original music video entitled «Basic Life Support (BLS)», already promoted on all major digital platforms. Efa and Erc have also organized promotional events for the video on the occasion of periodic meetings of local, regional and national associations and they are encouraging all driving schools to show the video during theory trainingin the lessons concerning the interventions to be implemented in the event of a road accident with injuries to people.

«In the driving school, the kids follow the topics covered by the teachers, but often they are focused only on the correct answers to be given in order to pass the theoretical exam. This time should be better spent. Students should have the opportunity to learn something more useful. Rather than trying to figure out which box to put a cross in, they should understand how we must intervene quickly to try to save a life» continues Picardi.

Consolidate a new generation

The BLS video has already earned recognition and won the special edition of Global Road Safety Film Festival held at the Palais des Nations at the United Nations (Geneva). The song has already been translated into Italian, French, Spanish and subtitled in other languages ​​to further promote its diffusion. «A system approach in the treatment of cardiac arrest involves awareness campaigns such as the one organized with Efa to consolidate a new, determined generation with principles of responsible leadership and with the skills to intervene in the event of cardiac arrest. The driving school instructors are the “lay” network that will be able to autonomously “convey” training to the new generations. We are extremely proud to be able to collaborate in Europe with EFA to bring this important action of civilization to the attention of politics», says Federico Semeraro, president-elect of ERC.

The invitation to all EU member states

Efa and Erc recently invited at a conference in the European Parliament all member states of the European Community and not only a run awareness campaigns vis-à-vis institutions to make BLS training mandatory when acquiring driving license B.