Delhi judges trained in life-saving skills to aid road crash victims

NEW DELHI: In a first-of-its-kind initiative aligned with the 8th UN Global Road Safety Week, over 50 judges from the south and south-east district courts in Delhi underwent basic trauma life support (BTLS) training to enhance emergency response at road crash scenes.

Organised under SaveLIFE Foundation’s ‘Jeevan Rakshak’ programme, the session was held on May 17 at the Saket district court complex, in collaboration with the district legal services authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO). The training aims to bridge a critical gap in trauma response by equipping non-medical first responders with life-saving skills. India records around 1.72 lakh road crash deaths annually, and bystander intervention during the critical “golden hour” can reduce mortality by up to 30 per cent. While PCR units are often the first to respond, judicial officers also play a key role in determining legal outcomes but have had limited formal training in trauma care. Judicial officers were taught essential skills including CPR, bleeding control, airway management, cervical spine immobilisation, and rapid emergency assessment. SaveLIFE Foundation has so far trained over 26,000 police personnel and citizen volunteers across India, contributing to a 30 per cent fall in road crash deaths in Delhi between 2012 and 2017.