Expiration date of first aid kits, composition of kits

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Published: 10/27/2018

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The last time the composition of a car first aid kit was changed was by Order of the Ministry of Health in 2009. According to the amendments, all medications were excluded from the first aid kit. According to the previous order of 1996, it included analgin, aspirin, validol, ammonia, etc.

• Expiration date of a car first aid kit
• Punishment for not having a first aid kit

But given the fact that few drivers understand the specific effects of drugs on the human body, and there is a high risk of side effects, officials decided to no longer include drugs in the first aid kit. Another reason for excluding medications was the inability to provide the necessary temperature conditions in the car to maintain shelf life.

At the same time, the sets of dressing materials were significantly expanded: bandages, plasters, etc. The composition of the car first aid kit is given in the following table.

Thus, the first aid kit includes various devices for stopping bleeding and bandaging, performing artificial respiration, etc. At the same time, legislators have established only the minimum that must be in the first aid kit: if desired, the driver can equip it with additional devices.

Thanks to changes in the composition of the first aid kit, it has a lower cost compared to the previous version. So, now the average cost of a first aid kit is about 350 rubles.

The driver does not have to buy a ready-made kit; he can create a first aid kit himself.

Why does a driver need a first aid kit?

Help in case of an accident. If people were injured in an accident and the ambulance has not yet arrived, it is important to be able, for example, to stop the bleeding.

Stanislav Marfin, worked in the rescue service for 20 years, responded to road accidents

If an accident occurs and the victim is bleeding, it is important to stop the bleeding before a specialist arrives. The car first aid kit has everything for this. There is no point in taking complex rescue devices, such as a ventilator, with you - an ordinary driver will not be able to use it correctly.

Show it to the inspector. A traffic police officer has the right to stop a car to check documents. In addition to documents, the inspector can also check the presence of a fire extinguisher, warning triangle and first aid kit. These items are needed for the safety of the driver and passengers in emergency situations.

Pass inspection. The inspection requirements state that the car must have a first aid kit. Without it, the technical station employee has the right not to issue a diagnostic card.

Help with minor injuries. It happens that a driver gets his finger pinched during minor car repairs, or children play with something sharp and get hurt. For such simple help, you don’t need a doctor - bandages from the first aid kit will suffice.

Is a first aid kit required for car inspection?

The conditions for passing a technical inspection are revised from time to time: new ones are added and previous ones are cancelled. Not long ago there were new changes in the procedure, and therefore drivers are wondering whether a first aid kit is needed to pass a technical inspection in 2021. In the article you will find the answer to this question, and also learn how to select medications for a first aid kit, what should be in it and how much you can spend.

Is medical kit required in 2021?

Until 2012, in order to receive a diagnostic card based on the results of a technical examination, car owners had to present a first aid kit with the required equipment. The absence of a medical kit led to the refusal to issue a document based on the results of a technical examination of the car. But, according to the changes that the legislation has undergone, having a driver’s first aid kit from January 1, 2021 is not required for this procedure.

It is not necessary to have a first aid kit in the cabin during a technical inspection due to the fact that its presence or absence in no way affects the technical characteristics of the car. However, no one canceled the presence of a fire extinguisher in a similar situation.

Despite the fact that the government decree on technical inspection does not regulate the presence of a first aid kit at the time of passing the examination, all car owners are required to keep a medical kit in the car during its operation. The number of accidents on the road is growing, and there is often a need to provide first aid to victims. In addition, the car owner may need the contents of the first aid kit in case of careless actions during vehicle repair work.

Requirements for a first aid kit during maintenance

As we have already found out, technical inspection of a vehicle today is carried out without presenting a first aid kit. However, the medical kit must be in the car, and the driver faces penalties for not having it. What must be included in a first aid kit and how to equip it, we will consider further.

Contents of the first aid kit

The main means that make up a car first aid kit are items and aids for providing first aid to a person injured in an accident: gloves, sterile and non-sterile bandages, cotton wool, bactericidal and roll adhesive plasters, scissors, tourniquet. Starting from 2021, the first aid kit must also include medications that help stop bleeding. Drivers are taught first aid techniques when receiving a driver's license.

Each driver has the right to put any medications he requires in the first aid kit. On the road, any health problem can happen: a stomach ache, a tooth ache, a headache. It is difficult to protect yourself from all cases, but the car owner can supplement the first aid kit based on the individual characteristics of the body and the tendency to any disease.

Best before date

Each medical product has a certain period of time for use, recorded on the packaging. Similarly, a car first aid kit has an expiration date, but it is not required for technical inspection. The time of permitted use is not the same for each drug. For example, the shelf life of a bandage is 5-10 years, and an adhesive plaster is about 5 years. Based on the fact that there are no perishable drugs in the first aid kit, a complete set can last about 5 years.

Cost of the set

Despite the fact that a car owner will not need a first aid kit to pass a technical inspection in 2021, it must be available when traveling. You can buy a first aid kit as a pre-assembled kit or assemble it yourself. Pharmacies sell first aid kits, the cost of which varies from 350 to 500 rubles. The difference in cost is determined by the quantity and variety of drugs, as well as the design of the packaging of the medical kit itself.

Collect it yourself or buy it

Car owners often face a dilemma not about what kind of first aid kit is needed to pass a technical inspection (because in 2021 its presence is an optional condition), but about whether to buy a first aid kit in a ready-made kit or assemble the necessary components yourself. The first option is advantageous in that a complete first aid kit contains all the required medications. This can give confidence that a situation will not arise when the necessary medication is not at hand.

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In the second case, you can save a little. And what option for purchasing medications is up to the car owner to choose. The procedure for passing a vehicle inspection in 2021 provides for an examination of the brake and steering systems, engine, and suspension. Instrumental diagnostics and checking the presence of a fire extinguisher are carried out. The requirement to present a first aid kit when undergoing vehicle inspection is illegal.

Punishment for driving without a first aid kit

Often, as a result of an accident, car passengers and the driver are injured. A pedestrian can also be injured when struck by a car. If an accident occurs and there are victims, until an ambulance arrives at the scene, the driver must help the victim: stop the bleeding, treat the wound, bandage it. In this case, you cannot do without a first aid kit. Therefore, the law establishes a fine for not having a first aid kit.

If the car was stopped for inspection, and the traffic police inspector discovered that the required set of medications was missing, he may take the following measures against the driver: a warning or a fine. The amount of monetary penalty will be 500 rubles. If you pay the fine without delay and within 20 days, you can save 250 rubles.

Availability of a fire extinguisher during maintenance

Changes in the inspection rules affected the first aid kit, but the requirements for a fire extinguisher, which remains an integral attribute when undergoing a technical examination of a vehicle and issuing a diagnostic card, have not changed. We list the current requirements for a fire extinguisher during technical inspection in 2021.

1. The volume of a fire extinguisher for a passenger car is 2 liters, for a truck – 5 liters.
2. Compliance with GOST standards.
3. The fire extinguisher must be sealed.
4. The expiration date cannot be expired; it is indicated in the passport.
5. The fire extinguisher must be recharged according to the instructions included with the specific model.

An air-foam fire extinguisher must be recharged every 18 months, while powder and other models must be recharged once every 5 years.

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What should be in a car first aid kit for 2021

The Ministry of Health changed the composition of the car first aid kit in 2009, and since then the composition has been the same. In the future they plan to add medical masks to it, but so far there is no such requirement. Here is a complete and current set of car first aid kits for 2021.

What shouldn't be in it? There are no prohibiting laws regarding the list of medications and the composition of the first aid kit. If additional medications are required, it is better to put them in a separate case - this will help in an emergency to quickly get to the main equipment, for example, bandages or a tourniquet.

What else to put in the first aid kit. Each driver prepares his own personal first aid kit depending on chronic diseases or possible situations.
For example, “heart patients” often take Validol or Mildronate with them on trips. If there are problems with the stomach and intestines, take drugs like Polysorb, Smecta or activated carbon.

First aid kit for technical inspection in 2021: requirements for maintenance, expiration date

When driving your own car, you, unfortunately, run the risk of getting into an accident or witnessing one. Therefore, road users must know how to provide first aid for various injuries. This is why it is important to always have at least a minimum set of tools in your car. But whether a first aid kit is mandatory for a technical inspection, you will find out further.

Do you need a first aid kit in 2021?

It is worth recognizing that not only the risk of emergency situations on the roads, but primarily legislative regulation forces vehicle owners to carefully approach the issue of their equipment, so as not to receive a fine.

As for the car first aid kit, unlike a fire extinguisher, the presence of which is mandatory for passing a technical inspection, it does not in any way affect the technical serviceability of the car during operation or in the event of an accident. It is this aspect that misleads many drivers and makes them wonder whether a first aid kit is needed to pass a vehicle inspection in 2021? For example, in 2021 it was really not needed for maintenance. But since last year (from 05/04/18), the presence of a first aid kit is again a necessary condition for passing maintenance.

Russia adheres to international standards, according to which, for traffic safety, every car must have a first aid kit. Traffic police inspectors are fully competent to issue a fine for the absence of a medicine box in a car based on Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, which prohibits driving a vehicle without the necessary safety equipment. Not having a first aid kit can cost you 500 rubles - but this is only if you admit it yourself or if your car is searched.

Requirements for a first aid kit

Since Soviet times, a lot has changed regarding the requirements for a first aid kit. Previously, the traffic police officer had more reasons to issue a report to the driver when checking this element of the package: the list of medications contained more than 20 items, and the absence of at least one of them could be punished.

The first aid kit will be inspected during technical inspection from 05/04/18, as we have already established, but the general inspection rules have become more flexible: a modern medicine box contains much fewer components. This is due to a revision of approaches to first aid.

Given the dangers of road traffic, health experts have concluded that drugs that stop bleeding are more beneficial than those that relieve poisoning or allergy symptoms. After all, blood loss is the cause of most deaths in road accidents, so it is important to have means to stop the bleeding before the ambulance arrives.

Moreover, many drivers do not know, or in a critical situation may not be able to figure out how to properly take this or that drug, and may aggravate the victim’s condition through improper actions.

What should be in the first aid kit

Taking into account the above, it was decided to leave only 5 items in the car first aid kit, and not drugs, but parapharmaceuticals:

• Non-sterile gauze bandages - 2 pieces each measuring 5 m x 5 cm and 5 m x 10 cm and 1 - 7 m x 14 cm;
• Sterile gauze bandages. The same list as in the previous paragraph, only instead of bandages 5 m x 5 cm the dimensions should be 5 m x 7 cm;
• Sterile dressing bags;
• Medical gauze wipes;
• Adhesive plasters. Bactericidal - 2 pieces 4 x 10 cm and 10 pieces 2 x 7 cm, as well as one roll size 1 x 250 cm.

Also get tourniquets, scissors and gloves so you can provide first aid.

It is important to remember that this list does not limit you from carrying additional medications. If you suffer from chronic illness or think you need to have headache or nausea relief in your car just in case, no one prohibits it.

Expiration date and cost

So, the list of mandatory items in the first aid kit has been shortened, but there is one more thing that may please drivers - its extended shelf life. As can be seen from the composition of the modern medical box, it does not contain anything perishable or requiring certain storage conditions. Therefore, the shelf life of a car first aid kit is 5 years, and the driver is given six months to update it.

To avoid being fined by a traffic police inspector for expired first aid kit components, when purchasing, you should pay attention to their expiration date.

You can assemble a first aid kit yourself or purchase it ready-made. The difference in price will not be too different: from 200 to 500 rubles, depending on the quality of the components.

Car first aid kit composition, list and application: Video

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What is the difference between cases with the new and old set

Since 2009, there have been no medicines in the first aid kit - only means to stop the bleeding, plus a device for artificial respiration.

What is the expiration date for a car first aid kit?

The expiration date is indicated on the label if it is a plastic case, or on the instructions if the first aid kit is in the form of a bag with a zipper.

Usually the period is about 4 years, it depends on the manufacturer. For example, the “Fest” first aid kit is good for 4 years, “Leiko”, similar in composition, is good for 5 years, and “Mizar” is good for 3 years.

After the expiration date, the first aid kit can be disposed of as household waste.

How much does a car first aid kit cost?

Price. A first aid kit costs an average of 400 rubles.

How to choose. Focus, first of all, on the composition - it must meet the requirements: bandages, plasters, tourniquet and mouth-to-mouth device. If you plan to add additional medications to your first aid kit, choose a model with a larger capacity. You can complete the first aid kit yourself and put it in any convenient handbag or plastic case - there are no packaging requirements.

Where can I buy. First aid kits are sold in any pharmacy and almost every gas station. You can order it online - in marketplaces like Yandex.Market, Ozona or Wildberry. The composition is almost the same everywhere. The price depends on the case material and design. The cheapest ones are in plastic boxes. A bag with a zipper is more expensive.

Composition of a travel first aid kit

When going on a trip, regardless of its distance and specificity, one of the first things you need to take care of is a travel first aid kit. A scrupulous approach to the formation of its composition can help, if necessary, provide first aid both to yourself and to your friends or relatives. If you have children traveling with you, be sure to take care of them too. Means that may be useful must necessarily correspond to the age of the child; this is always written in the instructions for this or that medicine.

Let's take a closer look at what should be included in a travel first aid kit.

1. Dressing materials, plasters, tourniquets. This group of medications includes bandages of various widths, including an elastic bandage, as well as gauze and cotton wool. The patch should be both bactericidal and regular. The first will help, if anything happens, to disinfect the wound and prevent infection from getting into it, the second will secure a sterile bandage if such a need arises. A tourniquet is a means of providing first aid for bleeding, so its presence is mandatory, especially if you are going on a hike.
2. Antiseptic drugs . Hydrogen peroxide, brilliant green, iodine are remedies known to us since the time of our grandmothers. For decades, they have helped disinfect wounds and prevent the entry of germs that could cause infection. And they are still used not only in camping conditions, but also at home.
3. Gastric medications, sorbents. When traveling abroad, the human body often reacts sharply to a change in the type of food and local water. Therefore, the formation of this assortment must be approached especially carefully. Both drugs for diarrhea (Loperamide) and those that have the opposite effect - laxatives (Guttalax) can be useful. To ease the heaviness in the stomach and easier digestion of overseas food, medications such as Mezim, Festal, etc. are suitable. In case of poisoning, activated carbon will always come to the rescue, and Regidron will be suitable to restore the exchange of fluids in the body in case of severe vomiting.
4. Anti-cold, antipyretic and painkillers. Here the list of drugs is quite standard: Paracetamol - to reduce fever, Aspirin, Ibuprofen - to treat colds, No-Shpa, Baralgin - to relieve pain. Children's Nurofen is suitable for children. It relieves both cold symptoms and has an analgesic effect.
5. Medicines for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Of the old proven remedies, validol and valocordin are the best. Additionally, you can put nitroglycerin in your first aid kit.
6. Antihistamines. Even if you do not suffer from any allergies in everyday life, still make sure you have anti-allergens in your medicine cabinet. Medicines such as Zodak, Suprastin and Zyrtek have long been heard by any Russian, and therefore finding them in pharmacies will not be difficult. Before purchasing, read the instructions to see if these drugs are suitable for children, and if so, at what age. Better yet, consult your pharmacist on this issue.
7. Products for external use: anti-burn, against insect bites. Among the anti-burn products, Bepanten and Panthenol have proven themselves well, the second in the form of a spray. And against insect bites, both repellents that prevent mosquitoes and midges from attacking you, as well as products that reduce the consequences of these bites, for example, Fenistil-gel, are suitable.
8. Other means. Other means that it is advisable to also put in a travel first aid kit include:

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• remedies to help with sore throat and cough;
• antiviral and antimicrobial drugs;
• drops in the nose to treat a runny nose and in the eyes to eliminate conjunctivitis;
• products that have a sedative effect, preferably with a natural composition (valerian, motherwort, etc.);
• tweezers for removing ticks;
• thermometer, preferably electronic;
• motion sickness medications;
• means for water disinfection (very useful in camping conditions).

If you suffer from any chronic diseases, replenish the medications your doctor prescribed for you to take regularly.

It’s good if you provide for all possible scenarios. Buying medicines abroad can cost you twice as much as in your home country, and the names there are entirely in English or another language, and if you are not a polyglot, it will be extremely difficult to explain to the local pharmacist what exactly is bothering you. And it’s not a fact that the body will react to foreign medicines as the situation requires.

Remember

1. The fine for not having a first aid kit is 500 rubles.
2. A first aid kit in the car is needed to prevent the victim from dying before the ambulance arrives in the event of an accident.
3. You won’t be able to pass the inspection without a first aid kit; the inspector may ask for it.
4. The new first aid kit contains no medications, only dressings and a mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration apparatus.
5. The shelf life of a first aid kit is on average 4 years. It costs about 400 rubles.

All articles by the author: Evgeniy Lesnov