Do London Taxi Drivers Know First Aid?

As a taxi driver working in the UK, basic first aid knowledge is an excellent skill to have. It means you’ll be prepared for a medical emergency if you have to deal with one while you’re on the road.

With proper first aid training, you can help passengers or other road users in an emergency, and you could even save someone’s life!

Are Taxi Drivers First Aid Trained?

A good operator will ensure that their taxi and minicab drivers know basic first aid. But why is it so important for these drivers to have some first aid knowledge?

Private hire drivers often work late at night and spend time on the road in very busy conditions. During the course of a shift, a taxi driver could come across any of the following emergencies:

• A roadside accident
• An injured pedestrian
• An intoxicated passenger that gets sick or collapses
• A passenger injured during a fight
• A passenger choking
• A passenger experiencing an allergic reaction or asthma attack
• A passenger in some other type of medical distress

This may sound daunting, but with first aid training, any driver can keep a cool head and handle an emergency situation with confidence. For example:  

• Addison Lee drivers get the opportunity to get certified to perform emergency first aid at work, adding valuable expertise to their skillset.
• Black cab drivers are taught life-saving techniques and given first aid training as part of The Knowledge.

Taxi Driver First Aid Training

At Addison Lee, all who complete our Gold Diploma will have a Level 2 Emergency First Aid at Work qualification. This qualification is accredited and certificated for 3 years by Qualsafe. We adhere to HSE best practice and offer the drivers a half-day CPD session once a year.

Learning first aid will help you help your passengers in an emergency, and it could also help you save the life of a colleague or a loved one! When you drive with us, we highly recommend enhancing your skills with our comprehensive first aid qualification.

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