Intersection dangers for emergency vehicle operators
Drivers must be aware of their surroundings all the time and not be
distracted
By Robert Raheb
FDNY EMS Lt. (ret), Emergency Response Specialist — FAAC,
Inc.
When it comes to emergency responses, intersections can be
considered the most dangerous area of roadways.
According to pertinent studies1,
ambulance collisions for instance cause 10 injuries per day and two
fatalities per month. In addition, 37 percent of all ambulance
collisions occurred in an intersection with some type of control
device and the ambulance struck the other vehicle 74 percent of the
time in all fatal ambulance collisions.
Numerous factors lead to these collisions — distractions (inside and
out of the vehicle), speed, environmental factors, other drivers,
sun glare, limited sight distance, as well as the crew, which may be
adrenaline charged and not properly trained or not familiar with the
area and road conditions.
Drivers must be aware of their surroundings all the time and not be
distracted, but when approaching the intersection this is even more
important and in an urban setting it becomes a continuous situation.
When clearing an intersection with the green light or a pre-emptive
light system that allows the emergency vehicle to travel through the
intersection with a green light, EVOs still should:
-
Reduce their speed
-
Cover their brake
-
Try and make eye contact with other drivers
-
Use turn signals
When clearing an intersection against the red light, the EVO should:
-
Ensure all warning lights and siren are fully
engaged (using the yelp siren and short burst on an
air-horn in 1-2 second intervals is encouraged)
-
Come to a complete stop prior to the intersection
and at every lane you cross to ensure that traffic
has yielded
-
Try not to push other drivers into the intersection,
if possible cross the yellow line and travel "left
of center"
When clearing an intersection against the red light and traveling
left of center, the EVO must:
-
Come to a complete stop at the rear bumper of the
first vehicle in the left lane (that is to your
right)
-
Move forward and clear each lane one at a time and
do not move until it is safe to do so
-
Do not exceed 20 mph and in congested intersections
travel at 2-3 mph (remember, traffic is coming from
your left and you are in the oncoming lane of
traffic; you have shortened the reaction and braking
distance of both vehicles substantially
-
Check the intersection again, even if you already
have done so.
So how does one train for this?
Most driver training programs teach proper intersection analysis and
management with lecture, though the knowledge that is being
disseminated often is lost at the most critical time: in the
intersection.
Some programs try to teach students by taking them on the road and
driving around in a non-emergency mode or by watching how their
partner does it after joining a volunteer or other type of service.
These types of training are not effective in producing an adequate
experience that the member can use in future incidents. The most
effective way of training is through simulation, which works so well
because the student is actively participating in the experience and
not simply watching it or hearing about it.
Think about your last vacation — it's a lot more fun experiencing it
than looking at someone else's photos.
When training in intersection analysis, it is important to cover all
three concepts of the "Triangle of Training:"
-
Knowledge — lecture-based information
-
Skill — vehicle and roadway dynamics
-
Judgment — active participation in a virtual world
environment
Remember to stop at the intersection. No one remembers that you were
10 seconds later arriving on scene but no one ever forgets when you
don't get there at all.
Drive like your life depends on it.
Part 3 of 3 part Series
Original Article
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