When 18-year-old Ainsley’s car clipped a road sign, veered off the road and rolled down an embankment, it was the actions of two everyday people that helped save her life.
Stories like Ainsley’s are driving the launch of LifeFlight’s Road Response trauma training, a specialised stream within the charity’s free First Minutes Matter program, designed to equip communities with the skills and confidence to provide life-saving assistance at the scene of a road crash before professional help arrives.
Ainsley had been preparing for her Year 12 exams when a Sunday afternoon drive with her 14-year-old sister, Dakotah, ended in a serious crash that left her unconscious and with significant injuries, including a fractured spine.
When Ainsley regained consciousness, she struggled to move her legs. With no mobile phone reception to call for help, Dakotah did what she could to make sure her sister could be seen from the roadside before setting off on foot in search of help.
As a car passed, Ainsley raised her hand from the long grass to attract attention. By chance, the driver was an off-duty nurse who immediately stopped to help, providing care, monitoring Ainsley’s condition and keeping her stable until LifeFlight crews arrived.
Developed by LifeFlight’s critical care doctors and healthcare professionals, Road Response is part of LifeFlight’s First Minutes Matter program and was created in response to the ongoing toll of road trauma across Australia. In the 12 months to September 2026, 1,334 people lost their lives on Australian roads, highlighting the devastating impact road crashes continue to have.
Now recovering and studying at university, Ainsley is encouraging others to complete LifeFlight’s Road Response course.
“These skills are extremely important because you never know when something will happen,” Ainsley said.
“This could happen to anyone, and you don’t expect it to happen to you until it does.
“You never know when you could come across a situation like mine, and it is really helpful to know what to do in that situation.”
Ainsley said she will always be grateful to her sister and the nurse who stopped to help that day and monitored her injuries to keep her safe until LifeFlight crews arrived.
“Dakotah was telling me she was okay and we would be okay before she started walking to find help,” she said.
“The nurse really knew how to handle the situation. She sat beside me, called my mum, called Triple Zero, splashed my face with water, held my hand and just kept telling me everything was going to be okay.”
LifeFlight First Minutes Matter Educator Rebekah Vonk said road crashes often place ordinary people in the position of being first on scene.
“Ainsley’s story is a powerful reminder that everyday people can help save a life,” Ms Vonk said.
“So many of us get behind the wheel every day, which means there’s a good chance we could find ourselves first on the scene of a road crash.
“Road trauma can involve some of the most catastrophic injuries, including severe bleeding, spinal injuries and other life-threatening conditions.
“We know that medical professionals are often not the first people on scene. It’s usually community members, passing motorists or witnesses who are there first.
“LifeFlight’s Road Response course is about giving our community the knowledge and confidence to act safely and effectively until emergency services arrive. Early intervention can save a patient’s life.”
Participants in the Road Response course will develop practical skills in assessing scene safety, contacting Triple Zero, responding to life-threatening injuries, making informed decisions when assisting injured or trapped occupants, and providing care until emergency services arrive.
Road Response is the latest stream within LifeFlight’s First Minutes Matter program, joining Little Lives Matter for infant and child emergencies, Farm Response for rural and agricultural communities, and Ocean Response, which equips participants with the skills to respond to emergencies in and around water.
LifeFlight’s experienced medical educators deliver the First Minutes Matter program through public workshops but also directly to groups who choose to host a First Minutes Matter session. Hosting a session is free and allows the content to be tailored to the group’s interests and available time, making it ideal for workplaces, community organisations, schools, sporting clubs and parent groups.
For more information about First Minutes Matter and Road Response, visit lifeflight.org.au/first-minutes-matter.
