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Yorkshire named UK's Compassion Capital
29th March 2011
Study shows Yorkshire to be the most caring region to people in an accident
Seventy two per cent of people from
Yorkshire would stop to help someone they witnessed having an
accident- the highest rate in the UK.
Yet in spite of Yorkshire's compassionate
nature, it seems that the rest of the nation still has a long way
to go to becoming as caring.
Research commissioned by National
Accident Helpline shows that over a third of Britons would not go
out of their way to help someone they witnessed having an accident,
leaving the victim to fend for themselves regardless of their
injury. Instead our initial reaction is more likely to be to laugh
or just walk away - or even a mixture of the two - rather than
offer assistance.
Renowned psychologist Dr Linda
Papadopoulos explains our reactions: "Laughing or walking
away at the scene of an accident may sound shocking, but they are
natural and instinctive reactions. We laugh to minimise the
seriousness of the situation and to make it easier for us to deal
with rather than take in the enormity of it straight away, whilst
walking away may not be a selfish reaction but in fact a desire to
keep ourselves safe.
"But we all know that when the shoe is on
the other foot, it can be hurtful and upsetting. Having somebody
laugh at us can make us feel ashamed and embarrassed, which can
make us reluctant to seek help or advice. However when somebody
does offer assistance and show support, as they seem more likely to
do in Yorkshire, we naturally feel less like the underdog and more
like somebody is on our side."
The research shows that 50 per cent of
Britons would feel angry that nobody came to their aid and 48 per
cent would feel embarrassed if they suffered an accident and nobody
offered to help. The research also highlights that it is the
perception of the severity of an accident that compels us to help:
our judgment is often made on the type of victim and whether there
are any visible signs of injury. For example, a third (30.5%) of
Britons who responded to the survey claimed that they would be more
likely to help the elderly, rather than teenage boys (4.4%), whilst
81 per cent would offer immediate assistance if there were signs of
blood - regardless of the type of injury suffered.
Sam Porteous, CEO of National
Accident Helpline, says: "The research indicates that as a
nation we seem to have forgotten how to help people in distress.
Recognising that a helping hand can make all the difference to
those in need is a vital component of being part of a caring
society. Even the smallest of accidents, which may not necessarily
appear to be serious, can have significant consequences. We should
all remember how easy it is to help someone, no matter what their
injury, so next time you see someone fall over, help them, don't
laugh at them."
National Accident Helpline is the leading
marketing group for solicitors specialising in personal injury and
is responsible for the recent campaign championing consumers'
rights to justice through the website www.underdog.co.uk.
Read the full 'What happened to help thy
neighbour?' research here.
ENDS
This release is the first of a three-part
series which exposes the public's attitude and perception of
helping those injured in an accident. The research was carried out
by Opinion Matters Market Research for National Accident Helpline,
14th-25th February, from a sample size of 1,558 UK
adults.
For more information on how the different
regions fared in the study click here.
For media enquiries please contact:
Matthew Rosser, National Accident Helpline -
matthew.rosser@nahl.co.uk, Tel. 01536 527500/07834
518603
About National Accident
Helpline
National Accident Helpline is the leading
marketing and legal services company for solicitors who specialise
in Personal Injury law and represents more than 100 legal practices
across the UK. If a consumer has had an accident which was someone
else's fault then we will put them in touch with a member firm, so
they can seek redress for the injury they have
suffered.
Through our national solicitor network,
we champion consumer rights for people who have had accidents,
helping those with genuine claims to seek redress and gain access
to justice to help aid their recovery.
National Accident Helpline is authorised
by the Ministry of Justice in respect of regulated claims
management activities and is a registered company, incorporated in
the UK.
For more information please visit the
website: www.national-accident-helpline.co.uk.