37.56. Under what conditions must you stop performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a casualty of a road traffic accident before the arrival of the emergency (ambulance) medical team?
UAЗа яких умов Ви повинні припинити проведення серцево-легеневої реанімації постраждалого в ДТП до прибуття бригади екстреної (швидкої) медичної допомоги?
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This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerns first aid at the scene of a traffic accident and the priority of safety for those involved. In the theoretical exam, it checks whether the driver understands that assistance to victims must not only be timely, but also realistically possible and safe, since the traffic rules require acting in a way that does not create additional danger to life and health.
The content of the question tests the section of the Traffic Rules regarding the driver's duties in the event of involvement in a traffic accident (point 2.10) combined with general safety requirements (point 1.5). The logic is as follows: cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be continued until the arrival of medical professionals as long as it is needed and possible, but there are clear grounds for stopping. If obvious signs of life appear (independent breathing, coordinated movements), the need for continuous CPR disappears. If there is a real threat to your life or the life of the victim (fire, risk of explosion, dangerous traffic), the priority becomes eliminating the danger or evacuation, rather than continuing actions in hazardous conditions. If you are so exhausted that you cannot perform compressions effectively, resuscitation essentially loses its effectiveness and becomes objectively impossible.
That is why each of the scenarios listed in the answer options is an independent reason to stop resuscitation measures before the arrival of emergency medical assistance, and the generalized option is the correct one. For preparation for the theoretical exam, it is important to remember: within the framework of the traffic rules, the driver must take possible first aid measures, but not at the cost of creating new danger and not when CPR is no longer needed or physically cannot be performed properly.
Clause 2.10
In the event of involvement in a road traffic accident, the driver is obliged, in particular, to take all possible measures to provide first aid to the victims, call (or organize the call of) emergency medical assistance, and if necessary — arrange for the victims to be transported to a healthcare facility by passing transport or deliver them using their own vehicle.
Explanation of application: the wording "take all possible measures" means that first aid (including CPR) is provided within the limits of real possibility and without creating additional danger; accordingly, its discontinuation before the arrival of medical personnel is allowed when further actions are objectively impossible (dangerous or physically impossible), or when signs of life appear and the need for CPR has ceased.
Clause 1.5
The actions or inaction of road users and other persons must not create danger or obstacles to traffic, threaten the life or health of citizens, or cause material damage.
Explanation of application: this provision directly leads to the condition for discontinuing CPR in the event of a threat to life/health (for the person providing assistance and/or for the victim), when continuing resuscitation creates an unacceptable risk.
Clause 1.10 (term "Road Traffic Accident")
Road traffic accident — an event that occurred during the movement of a vehicle, as a result of which people were killed or injured, or material damage was caused.
Explanation of application: the question concerns specifically the consequences of a road traffic accident (the presence of a victim and the obligation to act according to the procedure provided by the Traffic Rules for accidents, including the organization of first aid).
Thus, the correct answer is "Under any of the above conditions," given that by the definition of the Traffic Rules, a driver in a road traffic accident is obliged to take only possible and safe measures of first aid (clause 2.10) and is not entitled by action/inaction to endanger life and health (clause 1.5), therefore CPR is discontinued upon the appearance of signs of life, in case of a safety threat, or when it is physically impossible to continue.
During a traffic accident, cardiopulmonary resuscitation is usually performed continuously until the arrival of the emergency medical team, as every minute without circulation and breathing reduces the victim’s chances of survival. However, there are situations when continuing resuscitation is unnecessary or dangerous, and in such cases it should be stopped.
The first reason to stop resuscitation is the appearance of obvious signs of life. If the victim’s spontaneous breathing is restored, they begin to move, respond to speech, or show signs of conscious behavior, this means that continuous chest compressions are no longer necessary in the same manner. In this situation, you stop CPR and monitor the victim’s condition until the medics arrive.
The second reason is a threat to the life and health of you or the victim. For example, the vehicle may catch fire, there is a risk of explosion, moving traffic creates a danger of being hit, or the scene is unprotected and staying there becomes critically risky. In such conditions, continuing CPR may result in new injuries or fatalities, so safety is the priority and resuscitation is stopped if it is otherwise impossible to act safely.
The third reason is physical exhaustion, when you are no longer able to perform compressions effectively. CPR requires significant effort, and if due to fatigue the compressions become infrequent or weak, they essentially stop being effective. In this case, stopping resuscitation is a forced decision, because performing it “formally” without proper quality does not yield the expected result.
It is important to understand the logic of the exam question: it lists several correct situations, and each of them individually is a sufficient reason to stop CPR before the arrival of medics. That is why the correct answer option generalizes all the cases mentioned.
Therefore, the correct answer is "Under any of the above conditions," since CPR is stopped if signs of life appear, there is a real danger to you or the victim, or you are so exhausted that you cannot perform resuscitation effectively.