Doctors, Samaritans and the Accident Victim

An examination is made of the problem of the reluctance of physicians and others to stop and render assistance at roadside accidents for fear of lawsuits and how to overcome this reluctance. The North American solution of legislatively relieving physicians and others of possible civil liability where they do stop to offer their services is compared to the European solution which requires all individuals to stop under penalty of fine and imprisonment for failure to do so. It is suggested that there is nothing standing in the way of North Americans following the European model and that indeed there is survey evidence which indicates that such legislation would be approved by most physicians. Ultimately it is recommended that both forms of legislation be enacted, that physicians and others be required to assist at roadside emergencies, but that the degree of care required to be exercised should be reduced in these situations. Finally, it is suggested that, if such an obligations to stop is to have any really positive effect in reducing suffering on the highways, steps must be taken to broaden the base of those in the community who have training in elementary first aid techniques.