How long should you check a victim's breathing?

The correct choice indicates that you should check a victim's breathing for 10 seconds. This duration is recommended to provide enough time to assess whether the person is breathing normally, breathing abnormally, or not breathing at all.

During this 10-second interval, you should be observing for signs of normal breathing, which includes the rise and fall of the chest, and possibly listening for breath sounds or feeling for airflow. This timeframe effectively allows for a reliable assessment without causing prolonged delay in administering necessary care, such as initiating CPR if required.

A shorter duration like 5 seconds may not give a complete picture, as a victim's breathing can be irregular or shallow, potentially leading to an inaccurate conclusion about their condition. On the other hand, checking for too long, such as 15 or 20 seconds, could unnecessarily delay emergency response actions, especially in cases where immediate intervention is critical.