NEW CAMPAIGN CALLS FOR LIFE-SAVING DEFIBRILLATORS TO BE FITTED IN EVERY NEW CAR SOLD IN THE UK
In a cardiac emergency, every second counts. With more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year in the UK and survival rates still below 10 percent, we cannot afford to further delay finding a solution to this problem. Defibrillators dramatically increase the chances of survival, especially when used within minutes, but too often, they are simply out of reach.
While more defibrillators are now found in public spaces, access remains patchy and unreliable, particularly in rural communities and residential areas, where most cardiac arrests occur. The gap between knowing what to do and having the tools to act can be the difference between life and death. This is not just a logistical issue, but a disparity that demands systemic change.
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Cars are one of the most ubiquitous assets in modern life. Parked on driveways, outside schools, workplaces and shops, they are frequently already at or near the scene of medical
emergencies. By equipping every new car with a defibrillator, we can turn everyday vehicles into "mini ambulances.”
That’s why we’ve launched JumpStart, a national campaign calling for urgent legislative action mandating the inclusion of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in all new cars sold in the UK. It’s a simple, scalable, and powerful intervention that could save thousands of lives each year.
We are calling on Parliament to act now, by changing the law and reforming vehicle safety regulation, to make AEDs a mandatory safety feature in new vehicles. Cars are already there. Let’s equip them to save lives.
Improving access to defibrillators can triple survival rates
National campaign ‘JumpStart’ launched to urge government action and deliver a step change in public access to life-saving defibrillators.
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74% of those surveyed support rule requiring defibrillators to be mandatory in new cars
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Only 1 in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest - a devastating statistic that translates to 30,000 lives lost every year in the UK
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60% of the public say they have no idea where they would find their nearest defibrillator
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82% of respondents agree that the proposal will likely save lives
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72% of the public said that having defibrillators in cars will improve education around CPR and how to use a defibrillator
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86% agree that defibrillators will help improve the public’s general awareness of cardiac arrest
National campaign group, JumpStart, is today urging the UK Government to mandate the installation of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in all newly manufactured cars after polling data shows that 74% of the British public support the proposal.
Only 1 in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest - a devastating statistic that translates to 30,000 lives lost every year in the UK. What’s even more tragic is that defibrillators are used in just 10% of these cases, often because people simply don’t know where to find one. A defibrillator, if used quickly, can be the difference between life and death - because with every passing minute without CPR and defibrillation, the chance of survival drops by up to 10%.
These are not just numbers - they are preventable deaths. With over 37 million vehicles on UK roads, often parked in residential areas, this fulfils a clear and practical opportunity to use the nation’s car fleet as a life-saving public health resource. While defibrillators are becoming more common in public places, around 80% of cardiac arrests occur in or near the home, where AEDs are least accessible. Having defibrillators in vehicles could dramatically change the numbers.
Jon McLeod, spokesperson for the JumpStart campaign, said:
​“This is a straightforward, practical solution. As cars are already part of our everyday lives, why not make them part of the solution? Equipping every new vehicle with a defibrillator is a small ask with a huge return: saving lives that would otherwise be lost in the precious minutes before an ambulance can arrive.”
JumpStart has consulted widely with leading charities and relevant organisations in the sector and will be continually seeking their input on the technical aspects and progression of the proposed reforms. Meeting MPs and pressing ministers to support the campaign will ramp up in the coming weeks, with the campaign aiming to drive meaningful policy change by the end of the year.
A full and practical guide to how the campaign seeks to change the law, produced by Mishcon de Reya, is available at jumpstartcampaign.co.uk.
This campaign, conceived and philanthropically funded by Jonathan Harris CBE, arrives at a time of renewed political focus on preventative care and community-based innovation and is looking to get the support of key government departments behind the scheme. Both the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander MP, and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting MP, have signalled an openness to simple, evidence-led interventions that can deliver visible public benefit. Mishcon de Reya has been advising on the requisite changes to the legislative framework.
With 60% of the public saying they do not know where they could find their nearest defibrillator, JumpStart offers an effective and life-saving solution.
