Accidents Involving Ambulances Are Not Uncommon

The moment that an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) crew arrives at the scene of any type of accident, injured parties and their families feel a sense of relief and hope. In addition to providing immediate, necessary medical care, EMS personnel are entrusted with ensuring the safety of patients while transporting them to a medical care facility.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a report in the last few years that provided useful data about EMS accidents.

• There are an estimated 4,500 accidents involving ambulances annually;
• 29 fatal accidents and 33 fatalities each year;
• 34% of crashes resulted in injury;
• 44% of patients were ejected from the cot in serious crashes;
• In 38% of accidents, shoulder harnesses were available but not used;
• 96% of patients were belted at the time of the crash;
• 84% of EMS providers in the patient compartment were not restrained;
• Only 33% of patients were secured with shoulder and lap restraints; and
• 61% were restrained with lateral belts only.

It’s obvious that whether passengers of ambulances wear seat belts significantly affects the severity of injuries and fatalities occurring in a motor vehicle accident. Also, unbelted providers risk injuring patients as demonstrated by the finding that occupant-to-occupant contact was commonly a source of the injuries suffered by patients, and in some cases, these injuries were fatal.

While driving in any place at any time, motorists must maintain a constant vigilance for EMS, police, and fire vehicles. The drivers of these automobiles and trucks are subject to human error like any other motorist. While one-fourth of fatalities occur inside the ambulance at the time of the crash, in most fatal EMS accidents, the driver or passenger of another vehicle is killed.

Motor vehicle accidents often necessitate the need for an experienced team of attorneys like those at Powell Law, where we’ve protected the rights of Pennsylvanians for over 113 years. If you have suffered an injury in a motor vehicle accident, consult the experienced personal injury attorneys at Powell Law. Your first consultation is free. Contact us online or call (570) 961-0777.