Steve Rounds & Associates Limited

Transport Management Consultants & Compliance Specialists

Driver First Assist

Driver First Assist is a not for profit organisation comprising drivers (DFAs) who have been trained to provide life saving first aid and manage the scene at a road traffic collision (RTC), prior to the arrival of the emergency services.


DFA has been created with the help of the Police, Ambulance and Fire and Rescue services, with whom we continue to work in partnership.


The Facts

Every day, victims of RTCs die needlessly because individuals immediately at the scene lack the ability to administer basic first aid.


Many deaths occur from little more than a blocked airway, a condition that, with the right training, is relatively easy to treat. Death from a blocked airway occurs in about 4 minutes, while the target time for an ambulance is 8 minutes.

It's not difficult to see why 50% of RTC deaths occur before the emergency services arrive and how DFAs can make a vital difference in these first crucial moments.

As a nation, we invest a great deal in accident prevention, but we could do much more to improve and target resources to assist initially when incidents occur. That's why we created Driver First Assist.

Driver First Assist Media

Steve Rounds, Senior Training Officer for Driver First Assist explains why professional drivers are best placed to help direct emergency services, and why its important that people know how to assist at road traffic collision scenes.

Richard Burnett, Chief Executive, The Road Haulage Association explains why the RHA supports Driver first Assist and why it is important for every motorist to have life saving first aid skills. 

Sir Keith Porter, Professor of Traumatology from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham talks about how Driver First Assist can empower knowledge, the skills and the confidence to save lives. Please help save lives by supporting DFA.
Lord Edward Faulks, QC Barrister Member of the House of Lords, Former Minister of State for Justice explains why people shouldn't be afraid of the law when considering helping at crash scenes as a good Samaritan.

DFA History

Driver First Assist was the brainchild of David Higginbottom, who is well known in the road transport business having worked at the highest level for a road transport trades union and also RTITB.


In 2008, after hearing our own Steve Rounds deliver a lecture at Volvo Trucks in Warwickshire, David knew he had found the perfect partner to help him move the project forward.


Back than, Steve was becoming very well known in the industry as the 'kind' face of roads policing and created the learning materials for the course that we deliver today.


As a result of Steve's varied role within the police service, and having links to the senior organisations of the police, fire and ambulance service, Steve was also instrumental in gaining the official approval of ACPO, CFOA and AACE.


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