How well do British drivers know the basics of roadside first aid?

In 2026, the Government is updating the driving theory test to introduce more focus on defibrillators and cardiac arrest scenarios. As the UK driving theory test continues to evolve for learner drivers, it’s clear that life-saving knowledge is becoming an increasingly important part of being a safe and responsible motorist.

Our latest research highlights why first aid awareness matters just as much as knowing the rules of the road – from CPR technique to defibrillator use and much more.

Is there a knowledge gap between older and newer drivers?

One of the clearest patterns in the research is the difference between new drivers who took a modern theory test and those who passed before theory testing was introduced.

The results suggest that first aid knowledge may be stronger in younger age groups, as 38% of 18–24-year-olds knew the correct CPR pace, compared to 12% of over-55s. As well as this, 29% of 25-34-year-olds knew the correct CPR depth, compared to only 14% of over-55s.

This difference in knowledge could depend on whether people had access to updated learning and modern safety guidance – especially as The Highway Code changes and updates.

There is no fixed update schedule, and almost three quarters (72%) of drivers would like to be notified or reminded when The Highway Code changes.

However, 56% of drivers said they never check for updates or new information in The Highway Code, potentially leaving over 23.5 million* drivers in the dark about new rules and regulations.

The research also revealed that 65% of existing drivers said they would be willing to complete an online refresher test to stay updated with key changes.

First aid skills confidence

Our new survey found that just over half (56%) of UK drivers say they feel confident they could perform CPR if they encountered an emergency while driving, with drivers in Norwich feeling the most confident (68%).

More than a quarter (26%) of UK drivers say they are not confident about performing CPR, with this feeling most common among those aged 55 and over - 34% of motorists in this age group report lacking confidence.

When it comes to general emergencies, 56% of drivers said they would know exactly what to do in a medical emergency on the road, but almost one in five (19%) said they wouldn’t - the equivalent of over 8 million drivers*.

Are drivers willing to help during an emergency?

Despite a lack of confidence from some, the willingness to help from motorists is there, with over two-thirds (68%) of drivers prepared to step in and help in an emergency on the road, even if they weren’t fully confident in their first aid skills.

Those aged 25-34 reported the greatest willingness to help, with over three quarters (76%) of drivers in this age group saying they would step in. The most willing drivers are found in the North East of England, where the highest majority (78%) of motorists reported that they would help during a roadside emergency, even if they weren’t confident in their first aid skills.

On the other hand, around 10% of drivers said they would not be willing to help at a roadside accident.

First Aid Expert at First Aid for Life and Online First Aid, Emma Hammett, who we partnered with says: “It is usually other drivers or road users who are first on scene at an accident, and it is they who make the critical difference between quality of life and death.

“The UK survival rates radically lag behind the rest of Europe, however, the key development is that more people undertake some form of practical or online first aid training and are able to start CPR as soon as possible if someone collapses and stops breathing.

“The updated driving theory test helps contribute to this push.”

CPR and defibrillators

CPR is a life-saving skill that anyone can benefit from knowing, driver or not, but our research suggest that many motorists aren’t confident with the key steps, despite over half of drivers initially saying they would feel confident enough to perform CPR in an emergency.

In fact, when asked about the correct number of compressions per minute during CPR, only 20% of drivers selected the correct answer, 120 compressions per minute. The most common answer selected by drivers was 60 compressions per minute (43%), which is half the required pace.

Young drivers aged 18-24 were most likely to know the correct number of compressions per minute (38%), with those aged 55+ the least knowledgeable on this question (only 12% answered correctly).

Only 20% of UK motorists selected the correct depth of 5-6 cm for adult chest compressions, with 18% wrongly answering 1-2 cm, and 25% incorrectly saying 3-4 cm.

Drivers aged 25-34 are most likely to know the correct answer for chest compression depth (29%), with those aged 18-24 following closely in second place (25%).

What’s more, only three quarters (75%) of UK drivers said they know how to place someone in the recovery position, meaning an estimated 10 million+ drivers* may not know this life-saving technique.

Despite public access defibrillators (AEDs) being designed to be used by anyone, the findings show that uncertainty around these devices is common.

Our survey found that only 45% of UK drivers would feel confident using a defibrillator in an emergency, with 32% explicitly stating they would not feel confident.

The research also found that some drivers have misconceptions around the use of a defibrillator. One in six (15%) incorrectly believe defibrillators can only be used by trained people, and 16% think you must read an instruction booklet first.

Defibrillators (AEDs) are designed to guide users with spoken and visual instructions, and this was correctly identified by 61% of drivers in the survey.

Those in Northern Ireland were the most confident in knowing how to use a defibrillator, with 74% of drivers in this region answering correctly. On the other hand, less than half (44%) of drivers in Greater London were able to answer correctly.

When asked about the most effective way to locate a defibrillator, 66% correctly said to follow guidance from the 999 call handler. 6% of drivers mistakenly thought that to locate a defibrillator, you must search through the casualty's personal items, and one in ten (10%) incorrectly said to use a car’s satellite navigation system, or GPS.

Emma Hammett explained: “CPR circulates oxygenated blood to the heart and brain, and the breaths helps re-oxygenate the blood, and an AED enables the heart to reboot and return to beating effectively.

“AEDs are critical to survival and make a huge difference. If someone is in a shockable rhythm and an AED is deployed within 3 minutes, their chance of survival soars from around 6% to 74%.

“There is a 10% reduction in mortality for every 1-minute delay, so at 10 minutes we are back to a 6% survival rate, despite giving effective CPR”.

First on the scene

A major part of roadside first aid is knowing what to do before you even touch a casualty.

If a casualty isn’t moving, 59% of drivers correctly said the first thing they should do is check the scene is safe before approaching. However, 22% said they would put the person in the recovery position immediately, and 12% said they’d start CPR straight away.

If there is a serious collision involving multiple casualties, 78% said the next step should be making sure emergency services have been contacted, which is the correct step to take.

Motorcycle collisions are especially high-risk, and moving a rider incorrectly can cause serious harm. Almost three in five (57%) drivers correctly said a helmet should only be removed if it’s absolutely necessary, but 14% wrongly think it should be removed immediately in all situations, and 6% incorrectly believe it should always be removed unless the casualty appears shocked.

Emma Hammett gave her advice to drivers who may be first on the scene at an accident:

“Check for your safety first and secure the scene so that no other cars or vehicles will injure you or the other occupants of cars, then, turn off the car engine.

“Triage the occupants of the vehicles and phone the emergency services on speaker phone. Allow them to trace your call or give them an exact location. They will need to know how many people are involved, whether they are adults or children, and if anyone is unresponsive.

“Whilst phoning the emergency services, check on all the occupants of the vehicles. Quiet casualties are your priority, as anyone shouting or screaming has an open airway and is breathing. For quiet casualties, open their airway and check for normal breathing. For anyone unresponsive and not breathing who is in a car, inform the emergency services and follow their instructions.

“Finally, treat any life-threatening bleeding immediately with direct pressure and/or wound packing/tourniquets (depending on severity and location)”.

Motorcyclist casualties may also have specific considerations when it comes to their helmets.

Hammett explains: “Often people struggle with how and when to remove a motorcycle helmet. However, you should only remove a helmet if the person is unresponsive, if you are concerned about their airway, or there is no other way to access their mouth and nose.

“Most modern helmets have a quick release clip allowing quick and easy access to the face without removing the main part of the helmet”.