First aid at the wheel: the PAS protocol the exam (and life) demand 🚑
Quick answer: The essentials: at an accident you apply PAS — Protect, Alert (112), Succour, in that order. An injured person is not moved, their helmet is not removed and they're given nothing to drink; they're only moved under imminent danger (fire). And the exam's star answer: cardiopulmonary resuscitation must continue until the casualty recovers signs of life or until medical help arrives — no preset time limit. Correct CPR: 30 compressions to 2 breaths, at 100–120 compressions per minute, centre of the chest.
First aid suffers a double injustice: for the exam it's crammed from memory, while on the road it's literally what decides lives — half of crash deaths occur in the first minutes, before any ambulance. This guide pairs the theory test's canonical answers with the real protocol every driver should have engraved.
The PAS protocol, step by step 🛟
| Phase | What to do |
|---|---|
| P — Protect | Secure the scene: stop somewhere safe, vest on, hazard lights, connected V16 beacon (or triangles where still valid). Engines off in the vehicles involved |
| A — Alert | Call 112 (free, 24 h, works without your operator's coverage and in any EU language): what happened, exactly where, how many injured and their condition |
| S — Succour | Triage by severity, not by noise: attend first to those who aren't screaming. Check consciousness and breathing and act on what you find |
The order matters and is exam material: succouring without protecting creates new victims. People die every year giving aid on the hard shoulder — hence 2026's bet on the connected V16 and on never walking on the carriageway.
The star question: how long must resuscitation last? ⏱️
The answer the exam expects — and the one medical protocols give: CPR is maintained until the victim recovers signs of life or emergency services arrive and take over. There is no «maximum time» after which to give up; you only stop if the rescuer is exhausted with no relief available.
The technique that would save the most lives if everyone knew it: heel of the hand on the centre of the chest, arms straight, 5–6 cm compressions at 100–120 per minute (the classic trick: the rhythm of «Stayin' Alive»), cycles of 30 compressions and 2 breaths. Can't or won't give breaths? Uninterrupted compressions alone also save.
What you do NOT do with an injured person 🚫
- Don't move them — except imminent danger (fire): spinal injuries worsen with movement.
- Don't remove a conscious motorcyclist's helmet; it comes off (two people, proper technique) only if they're unconscious and not breathing.
- No food or drink, not even water «for the shock».
- Don't pull out embedded objects: they plug their own bleeding.
- Don't leave the scene: beyond the human duty, failing to assist is a crime.
Conclusion 🏁
PAS, 112, CPR until relief arrives — three ideas that fit on a card and are worth a life. In the exam this topic gifts points to whoever takes it seriously; on the road it gifts something better. Drill its real questions on TraficoTest and, if you can, take an in-person first-aid course: four hours never wasted.
What searchers ask (answered head-on) 🔍
The exact phrasings people type into Google and AI assistants — answered head-on:
«how long must resuscitation of a casualty last?»
Until the person recovers signs of life or professional medical help arrives and takes over. No preset maximum exists after which to abandon CPR; only rescuer exhaustion without relief justifies stopping.
«what is the PAS protocol?»
Spain's accident-response sequence: Protect the scene (vest, lights, V16 beacon), Alert 112 and Succour the victims — strictly in that order, because helping without protecting multiplies casualties.
«what's the correct CPR compression rate?»
100–120 compressions per minute, 5–6 cm deep, in cycles of 30 compressions to 2 breaths. The universal trick: follow the rhythm of «Stayin' Alive» in your head.
Frequently asked questions ❓
How long must resuscitation of a casualty last?
Until the victim recovers signs of life or professional medical help arrives and takes over; no preset maximum time exists.
What does the PAS protocol mean?
Protect the accident scene, Alert the emergency services (112) and Succour the victims, exactly in that order.
What's the correct CPR rhythm?
30 compressions to 2 breaths, compressing 5-6 cm deep at 100-120 per minute on the centre of the chest.
Should you remove an injured motorcyclist's helmet?
Not if conscious; only if unconscious and not breathing, ideally with two people using proper technique.
Can you give water to an injured person?
No: nothing to eat or drink, as it can hinder later medical intervention or cause aspiration.