The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) is supporting a course which trains drivers how to deal with the aftermath of a crash before the arrival of the emergency services.

A person can die from a blocked airway within four minutes, but in the UK the ambulance target response time is twice that.

The Driver First Assist (DFA) course includes guidance on how to secure the scene, administer basic first aid and provide accurate information to the emergency services when needed.

DFA members act in a voluntary position and as such are regarded as Samaritans, meaning that there are no legal ramifications for their actions, and DFAs are under no obligation to assist if they aren't comfortable with doing so.

While the initial focus for the training is fleet drivers, anyone can become a DFA member. Over the coming months the IAM and DFA will be working together to promote the scheme through the IAM's group network, with reciprocal membership benefits for both IAM and DFA members.

The IAM has a membership network of around 100,000 drivers and riders, as well as a commercial driver training subsidiary, IAM Drive and Survive. The IAM is also an active campaigner on road safety issues in both the UK and Europe.

DFA's founder David Higginbottom said: "There are very strict regulations surrounding first aid provision in the office environment, but these regulations don't extend to the road - arguably Britain's largest workplace.

"With its extensive membership network, and the great campaigning work it does on road safety issues, the IAM was the perfect partner to take the scheme to a wider audience. We look forward to working with them closely over the coming months to raise the profile of both the problem, and more importantly the potential solution."

IAM chief executive Simon Best said: "More trained drivers on the road means more people able to take life-saving action in the critical first minutes after a crash.

"Accidents do happen, and the Driver First Assist initiative has real potential for reducing deaths and the severity of serious injuries on UK roads, by training drivers to deliver an early incident response."