Emergency Situations and First Aid Basics: The Complete Guide for the French ETG

Encountering or being involved in a road traffic accident is one of the most stressful experiences a driver can face. On French roads, your response in these critical moments is not just a matter of safety—it is strictly regulated by the Code de la route (French Highway Code) and the French Penal Code.

This lesson covers the essential protocols, legal duties, and basic first-aid practices required for the French Category B driving theory exam (Examen de l'Éthique Générale or ETG). Mastering these rules will help you protect lives, prevent secondary collisions, and fulfill your civic and legal duties as a licensed driver.

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The Legal Duty to Assist and French Traffic Law

In France, road safety is deeply rooted in mutual responsibility. If you witness or are involved in an accident, you have strict legal obligations.

Article L313-1 and the Duty to Stop

Under French law, any driver involved in a road traffic accident must stop immediately. Failing to stop when you are aware that you have caused or been involved in an accident is classified as a hit-and-run (délit de fuite). This is a severe criminal offense.

Non-Assistance to a Person in Danger

Even if you did not cause the accident, simply witnessing it binds you to a legal duty to assist under the French Penal Code (Non-assistance à personne en danger). If you see an accident with injured victims and there are no emergency services or other helpers already securing the site, you must stop and provide assistance, provided you can do so without endangering yourself or others.

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The Core Emergency Protocol: Protect, Alert, Rescue (PAS)

To handle an emergency systematically, French road safety authorities mandate the PAS protocol: Protect (Protéger), Alert (Alerter), and Rescue (Secourir). This order must always be respected. You cannot rescue anyone if you fail to protect yourself first, as you risk becoming a victim yourself.

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Step 1: Protect (Protéger) - Securing the Accident Scene

The primary objective of this step is to make the accident scene visible to oncoming traffic, preventing secondary collisions (suraccident), which are often more severe than the initial crash.

High-Visibility Yellow Vest (Gilet de Sécurité)

Under French law, a high-visibility yellow reflective vest (bearing the CE mark) must be stored within the passenger compartment of your vehicle, not in the boot. It must be accessible without exiting the car.

The Warning Triangle (Triangle de Présignalisation)

Every Category B vehicle in France must carry a warning triangle. This triangle must be placed on the road to warn oncoming traffic of the hazard ahead.

• Standard Placement Distance: The warning triangle must be placed on the roadway at a minimum distance of 30 metres before the obstacle or accident. It should be positioned so that it is visible to oncoming drivers from at least 100 metres away (e.g., placed before a bend or a hill crest rather than in the middle of it).
• The Motorway Exception: On a motorway (autoroute), the danger of placing a triangle on the active roadway is exceptionally high due to speed limits of 130 km/h. French regulations state that you must not place a warning triangle on a motorway if doing so puts your life in danger. Your safety, and that of your passengers, is the absolute priority; get behind the safety guardrail immediately.

Visual Signaling in Special Conditions

• Night Driving: The hazard warning lights are critical. Ensure your vehicle's parking lights or low beams are left on if they do not dazzle others, to help illuminate the scene.
• Adverse Weather (Rain, Fog, Snow): If visibility is severely compromised, the placement of the warning triangle must be adapted. Position it further back (up to 50–150 metres) to give drivers on slippery roads ample distance to react and brake safely.

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Step 2: Alert (Alerter) - Contacting Emergency Services

Once the scene is secured and there is no immediate danger of a secondary crash, you must immediately contact professional rescue services.

Which Number Should You Call?

In France, you can dial several emergency numbers, all of which are free of charge and accessible even from locked mobile phones or phones without a SIM card/credit:

• 112: The European Emergency Number. This is the highly recommended number as it is multi-lingual and automatically routes your call to the appropriate local agency.
• 15: SAMU (Service d'Aide Médicale de Urgence) for severe medical emergencies.
• 18: Sapeurs-Pompiers (Firefighters) for accidents involving fire, entrapment, or hazardous material spills.
• 17: National Police or Gendarmerie to report the accident and request traffic control.

On motorways, you should use the orange emergency phone booths (bornes d'appel d'urgence) placed every 2 kilometres. These calls are routed directly to the motorway operating company and police, automatically transmitting your precise location.

What to Tell the Operator

To ensure a rapid and appropriate response, be prepared to provide the following details clearly:

• Your Identity: Your name and your phone number (so they can call you back if disconnected).
• Precise Location: The road name (e.g., A7, N7, D910), the direction of travel, the kilometer marker (point kilométrique or PK), and any notable landmarks.
• Nature of the Incident: Number of vehicles involved, presence of fire, risk of explosion, or chemical leaks.
• Number and Condition of Victims: State how many people are injured, whether they are conscious, breathing, or trapped inside the vehicles.

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Step 3: Rescue (Secourir) - Basic First Aid Steps

Providing immediate care to victims before professional help arrives can double their survival rate, particularly in cases of cardiac arrest or severe hemorrhaging.

1. Assess the Victim's State

Approach the victim safely. Speak to them loudly and shake their shoulders gently: "Can you hear me? Open your eyes if you can."

• If they respond: They are conscious. Leave them in the position you found them (unless there is immediate danger), reassure them, and monitor their state.
• If they do not respond: Check their breathing. Place your cheek close to their mouth and nose while watching their chest. Look, listen, and feel for air movement for no more than 10 seconds.

2. Managing an Unconscious, Breathing Victim: The Recovery Position

If the victim is unconscious but breathing normally, you must place them in the Recovery Position (known in France as the Position Latérale de Sécurité or PLS). This keeps their airway open and prevents them from choking on their tongue or fluids.

3. Managing a Non-Breathing Victim: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

If the victim is unconscious and not breathing (or breathing with abnormal gasps), they are in cardiac arrest. You must initiate CPR (Massage Cardiaque) immediately.

• Chest Compressions: Place the heel of one hand in the center of the victim's chest. Interlock your other hand on top. Keeping your arms straight, press down 5 to 6 cm at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute (matching the rhythm of the song "Stayin' Alive").
• Rescue Breaths: If you are trained, alternate 30 chest compressions with 2 rescue breaths. If you are untrained or unable to perform mouth-to-mouth, perform continuous, uninterrupted chest compressions.
• Automated External Defibrillator (AED): If an AED (Défibrillateur Automatique Externe or DAE) is nearby, send someone to get it and follow its voice prompts immediately.

4. Managing Severe Bleeding (Hemostasis)

If a victim is bleeding heavily, you must act fast to prevent hypovolemic shock.

• Direct Pressure: Apply firm, continuous pressure directly over the wound using a clean cloth, sterile dressing, or your gloved hand.
• Elevation: If possible, elevate the bleeding limb above the level of the heart while maintaining pressure.
• Tourniquet: Use a tourniquet only as a last resort for catastrophic limb bleeding that cannot be controlled by direct pressure. Note the exact time the tourniquet was applied.

5. Immobilization of Suspected Spinal Injuries

In high-speed road accidents, always suspect a neck or spinal injury.

• Never move a victim unless there is an immediate, life-threatening danger (such as the vehicle catching fire, rising water, or a risk of landslide).
• If you must move them out of extreme danger, keep their head, neck, and torso perfectly aligned (using the "Rautek" maneuver or a drag method).
• Do not remove a motorcyclist's helmet unless they are not breathing and you must perform CPR. Removing a helmet incorrectly can cause permanent paralysis.

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How to Document an Accident: The Constat Amiable

When a collision results only in minor material damage (no injuries), the police do not need to be dispatched. Instead, drivers must fill out a standardized European accident report form known in France as the Constat Amiable (Friendly Accident Report).

Filling Out the Form Step-by-Step

The constat amiable is a legally binding document used by insurance companies to determine liability. It is split into two main columns (one for Vehicle A, one for Vehicle B) and a central section for checking boxes that describe the circumstances.

1. Header Details: Date, time, location, country, and whether there were any injuries (even minor ones) or damage to other property.
2. Vehicle and Insurance Information: Copy these details directly from each driver’s registration document (Carte Grise) and insurance certificate (Carte Verte or insurance sticker on the windshield).
3. The Circumstances (Central Column): Carefully tick the boxes that accurately describe your vehicle’s action at the exact moment of impact (e.g., "was overtaking", "was turning right", "was stationary"). Count and write the total number of ticked boxes at the bottom of the column.
4. The Sketch (Le Croquis): Draw a clear diagram of the accident. Indicate the direction of the streets, the direction of travel for both vehicles, their position at the point of impact, road signs, and lane markings. Label the vehicles clearly as "A" and "B".
5. Signatures: Both drivers must sign the front of the form. Once signed and separated, no modifications can be made to the front page. If the other driver refuses to sign, note this in the "Observations" section, write down their vehicle registration number, and try to obtain witness statements.

Submission Deadlines and Legal Implications

You must submit the completed and signed constat amiable to your insurance company within 5 business days of the accident. If your vehicle was stolen or vandalized, the deadline to file a police report and notify insurance is typically shorter (2 days).

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Common Mistakes, Edge Cases, and Violations to Avoid

• Leaving the Scene Prematurely: Even if the damage is incredibly minor, driving away without exchanging details is classified as délit de fuite. If the other driver is hostile, stay in your car, call the police (17), and record their license plate.
• Improper Vest Wear: Leaving the yellow vest in the boot defeats its legal purpose. You must be able to put it on while still sitting in the driver’s seat.
• Incorrect Triangle Placement at Night or on Curves: Placing a triangle 30 metres behind your car when your car is stopped immediately after a sharp bend is useless. Place the triangle before the bend so oncoming traffic is warned before entering the turn.
• Giving Food or Drink to Victims: Never give anything to drink (even water) or eat to an injured person. They may require emergency surgery under general anesthesia upon arrival at the hospital, and an active stomach increases the risk of airway aspiration.

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