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Show COLLEGE OF Les Chatelain 36 A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF VEHICULAR ACCIDENTS INVOLVING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE AND FIRE VEHICLES Jacqueline Consuelo Rodriguez (Les Chatelain) Department of Health Promotion and Education University of Utah Phase I of this multistage research study was completed Spring of 2012. Data showed drivers of personal automobiles have a difficult time hearing Emergency Medical Service (EMS) and fire vehicles when driving with their radio on or while operating hands-free cell phones. It appears many of vehicular accidents involving EMS vehicles occur due to two reasons. The first is drivers in personal cars not noticing EMS lights and sirens in ample time to clear the way. The second is E M S personnel partaking in unsafe driving maneuvers around automobiles to respond to emergencies. Phase II investigated the possibility that an early warning notification system or program in personal vehicles m a y have prevented previous accidents that involved EMS and fire vehicles. There were 8 interviews conducted with EMS and fire personnel involved in a vehicular accident since August 2007 in Utah while driving an E M S or fire vehicle and collided with a driver in a personal automobile. All accidents occurred with lights and sirens activated. Corresponding accident reports from the 8 interviews from department agencies were evaluated and cross-referenced with interview responses. During interviews, many participants answered that it seemed like the driver of the personal vehicle was distracted leading up to and at the moment of impact. All except for one participant believed that if the driver of the personal vehicle had somehow been alerted earlier to their E M S vehicle's presence, the accident may have been avoidable. The participant that answered "No" to this question responded, "No.. .she said she saw us, but decided not to stop." It was asked that if an early warning notification system was in place and somehow alerted drivers of oncoming EMS and fire vehicles sooner, would they feel safer while performing their job. One participant replied, "Yeah, I would. With the local driving we're doing now, I think it would eliminate future accidents." Results showed than an early warning notification system may have prevented most of the accidents analyzed. The results from this study will be used in conjunction with Phase I in anticipation of designing a device or program that would alert drivers to oncoming EMS and fire vehicles. Dee Foundation UROP Scholar 2012 - 2013 |