ROAD TRANSPORT (FIRST-AID EQUIPMENT). (Hansard, 18 December 1928)

§ Mr. RAMSDEN

I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to regulate the first-aid equipment of public passenger service vehicles on roads; and for purposes connected therewith. The object of this Bill is to ensure that on all public passenger service vehicles, 2819 such as motor omnibuses and chars-a-bane, there shall be carried a first-aid outfit, and that there shall be someone on that vehicle competent to use it. This Measure will not apply to railway carriages, tramways, or trolly vehicles. During the past few years there has been a considerable increase in the number of vehicles of the kind to which this Measure seeks to apply, and I believe that this will continue in the future. This has now become a most popular form of travel. Not only do these vehicles travel considerable distances, but they are now going into the most remote parts of this country and to parts where, very often, if an accident occurs, they will be some considerable distance away from any medical assistance. Accidents do happen, and if there is the increase in this type of vehicle that we expect, accidents are likely to take place in the future. That is the reason why this Bill is being brought forward. It seeks the necessary authority to deal with this question. Everyone must he aware of accidents that have taken place in their own locality. I know of certain accidents where a considerable amount of suffering has been entailed because no medical appliances, even of the simplest form, were available. I think that if a first-aid outfit, however simple, had been on the car, this would have been saved.

The Regulation as to the outfit and by whom it shall be carried is left to the Minister of Transport, so that it need not include boroughs or towns unless he thinks fit. If this is done, in all probability it will mean that not only a good deal of suffering will he saved in future, but also life itself. Frequently, in accidents of this kind, there is an immediate need of assistance. For example, if a fracture takes place, where there is also haemorrhage, this has to be attended to at once, or death may occur, and often even minutes count. I hope permission will be given to bring in this Bill and that it will go through the Committee and remaining stages and be in operation by next year. I would like to point out that in factories which employ more than 10 hands it is already necessary that a first-aid outfit should be kept, and I think it is much more necessary that it should be carried on a motor 2820 omnibus or a motor char-a-bane, which may be considerably further away from either doctor or nurse or anyone else who can render first-aid. I hope the Bill will not be opposed and that it will receive the sanction of the Ministry of Transport and be dealt with as quickly as possible.