3 keys to preventing ambulance rollover

9/8/12 3 keys to preventing ambulance rollover

1/3www.ems1.com/safety/articles/1284719-3-keys-to-preventing-ambulance-rollover/

Email Print Comment RSS Bookmark

Like 17 TweetTweet 0 0

DavidBradleyofVFISplayedthisvideoduringtheFire­RescueMedpresentationtoshowtheeffectsofarolloveronoccupantsinthecab.Troubleviewingthevideo?DownloadFlashplayerhere

RelatedArticle:

SeatBeltUseinthePatientCareCompartment

RelatedFeature:NIOSHreportdetailsGa.firefighter­medicrolloverLODDInvestigationinconclusive

Holdaworldofsimulationinyourpalm... SetasHomePage MyProfile Register Help WelcomeEMS1PTV

Safety

Sponsors

GlobeLifeLine

SignupforFREEEmailNewsletters

Enteryouremailbelow

kris.kaull@ems1.com

EMS1MembereNews

EMS1ProducteNews

EMS1MemberUpdates

EMS1ProductAlerts

FindtheRightSchool

ZipCode:

Subject:EMT­EmergencyMedicalTechnology­Paramedic

Degree:­SelectOne­

Online Campus Both

SafetyResources

FreeGrantAssistanceforDrivingSimulatorsfromFAAC

OSHAPersonalProtectiveEquipmentFactSheet(PDF)

AllResources

SafetyLinks

EMSCloseCalls

FirefightersBookstore:Books,VideosandSoftware

GlobeNFPA1851Training

TheCenterforWildernessSafety

SafetyArticle

May10,2012

Recommend 17peoplerecommendthis.Bethefirstofyourfriends.

3keystopreventingambulancerolloverKnowledgeofroads,vehicles,driversarecriticaltosafearrivalatemergency

BySarahM.SmartEMS1Editor

Newsflash:Roadsarenotdesignedforlargeemergencyvehicles.Androllovers,althoughpreventableinmanycases,arestillamajorcauseofon­dutyinjuriesanddeaths.

Whileonly3percentofemergencyvehiclecrashesarerollovers(single­vehicleaccidentwheretherolloveristhefirstharmfulevent),33percentoffatalcrashesare.Sowhatarethefactorsinrollovers,andhowcanwemitigatethemsowearriveateveryemergencysafely?

TheissuescameunderthespotlightduringasessionatFire­RescueMed,heldbytheIAFC'sEMSsection.

DavidBradley,educationspecialistatVFIS,outlinedhowstudiesshowthemostcommonrollovercircumstances:

Relativespeed:Vehiclespeedmeasuredatanymphconsideredtobeunsaferelativetotheoperatingenvironment

Softshoulderdrop­off

Unevensurfacedrop­offwithimproperrecovery

Followingarethreekeystoambulancesafety.

Theroad

Mostlanewidthshoveraround12feet,givingtypical7­to8­foot­widefireapparatusandambulancesonlyabout2feetofwiggleroomoneachside.That'snotverymuchwhenyouconsiderthechallengesofdrivinglarge,heavy,boxytruckstoanemergency.

Alsoofnoteareshoulderconditionsontheroad.Thesehaveasignificantimpactonthedriver'sabilitytorecoverfromlosingcontrol.Inorderofbesttoworstforrecovery,hereareshoulderconditionstotrainfor:

Pavedshoulder

Unpavedhardshoulderwithunevendrop­off

Unpavedsoftshoulder

Noshoulder

ThevehicleThousandsofpoundsofEMSgear,water,laddersandothersuppliesarepackedintoemergencyvehicles,placingaheavyloadoneachtire.Sowhenadriverlosescontrol,startstorunofftheroad(totheright,forexample)andfollowsthenaturalinstincttojerkthewheeltotheleft,thealreadyunsteadyvehicleoftentipstotherightandrollsover.

Themoretop­heavythevehicle,themorelikelyitisto

3keystopreventingambulancerollover

ShareShare 0

9/8/12 3 keys to preventing ambulance rollover

2/3www.ems1.com/safety/articles/1284719-3-keys-to-preventing-ambulance-rollover/

Investigationinconclusiveifseatbeltwaswornduring'09ambulancecollision

Safety

AllLinks

MostPopularArticles

Video:Passengersthrownduringspeedingboataccident 8

FirefighterresignsaftercontroversialFacebookpost 31

MandrivesHummerintospeedingcartosavekids

OutspokenmedicresignsfromDetroitEMS

FEMAwarnsofimpending'zombieapocalypse'

AllPopularArticles

FeaturedProduct

Categories

Equipment

VehicleEquipment

Technology

NarcoticsSecurity

Sirens

ViewAllCategories

CrewQuarterTalk

MostRecentPosts

AmbulanceMarketing

CanHospitalsandEMSCoordinateCare?

ParamedicsInUrgentNeedForStabResistantVests

MostActivePosts

WhydoyouthinktheEMSindustryishavingtroublesrecruitingandretainingemployees?

ShouldparamedicsbeallowedtoconductRSIs?

ViewForums

SafetyTips

Line­of­dutydeathandinjuryprevention

ResolvetobePersonallyPreparedin2010

HolidaySafetyTips

HelmetsforSnowSports

SafetyTipsfromIndustrialResponders

Moretips

SafetyVideos

PSA:Putyourselfinourboots

Truckcrashesintobackofanambulanceonthehighway

Womanrushedtohospitalafterhittingpole

Paramedichitbycaratcrashscene

EMSofficialsprepareSuperBowlevacuationplans

Themoretop­heavythevehicle,themorelikelyitistorollover.SUVs,oftenusedasQRVs,havethehighestnumberofrolloverincidentsamongemergencyvehicles.Ambulancesplacesecond,andtankerscomeinthird.

ThedriverTheoperatorofthefiretruckorambulanceisthemostimportantpieceoftherolloverpuzzle.Drivererror,oftenasaresultofinexperienceand/orlackoftraining,isthesinglemostsignificantfactorinrollovercrashes.

Humanaspects,suchasmaturity,physicalconditionandeventheabilitytocontrolone'semotionsareascriticaltosafedrivingasacquiredabilities,likedrivingrecordandspecificemergencyvehicledrivertraining.

Trainingandexperienceareofcriticalimportancetoovercomeinstinct,Bradleysaid.

"We'vegottogetthosementalseedsplantedofwhatweshoulddo,"hesaid.

ThetakeawayIfyouaredrivinganambulanceorafiretruckandfindyourselfonthebrinkofarollover:

Donotapplyfullbraking:Takeyourfootoffthegasordownshiftwhenappropriatetoallowthevehicletoslowdowngradually.Ifyoumustbrake,dososoftly

Stoporslowdownbeforecorrecting:Thengentlysteerthevehiclebackontotheroadsurfaceinalowgearwithfeatheredaccelerationifyoumustovercomeadrop­off

Don'tjerkthewheel:Tryingtoreturntotheroadsurfacequicklyincreasestheriskofrollover

Sometipstodrivemoresafelyandreducerollover:

Slowdown:Payattentiontospeedlimitsigns,andkeepthevehicleatorbelowspeed,especiallyduringinclementweather.Whileresponsetimesareaconcern,largervehiclesneedmoretimetoslowdownintheeventofasuddenobstacle,andyoudefinitelycan'tdoyourjobifyounevermakeitto

thecall

Buckleup:Alwaysuseyourseatbelt.Mostrolloverfatalitiesarefromejections."Theseatbeltkeepstheoperatorintheseatandincontactwiththebrake,acceleratorandsteeringwheel,"Bradleysaid.

"Puttherightpersonintheleftseat":Whileyouthfuldriversmayhavequickerreactions,theycouldlackdrivingexperienceandtherightamountofemotionalcontrol.Middle­ageddriversmayhavegoodexperiencebutmightnotbetooconcernedwithskillmaintenance.Finally,maturedriversmaybecautiousandexperiencedbutmayhaveillnessesordecliningphysicalabilitiesthatcouldkeepthemfromdrivingsafelyandeffectively.TheidealdriverwillhavenoClassAdrivingviolationsandfewerthantwoClassBviolationsinthepastthreeyears

Train:Wetrainforsomanyothersafetyconcerns,sowhyshoulddrivingemergencyvehiclesbeanydifferent?SOPsshouldaddressintersectionapproach,backingguidelines,driverresponsibilitiesandmore.Alldriversneedtobetrainedtounderstandtherelevantlawsandlegalliabilities,andtheyneedcontinuingandongoingrefreshertraining,bothintheclassroomandbehindthewheel

MoreinformationonemergencyvehiclerolloversanddrivertrainingcanbefoundthroughVFIS.

Comments

Thecommentsbelowaremember­generatedanddonotnecessarilyreflecttheopinionsofEMS1.comoritsstaff.

·

Facebook social plugin

Public Comments Moderator View Settings

CommentPosting as Sarah M. Smart (Change)

Add a comment...

Post to Facebook

9/8/12 3 keys to preventing ambulance rollover

3/3www.ems1.com/safety/articles/1284719-3-keys-to-preventing-ambulance-rollover/

<

plans

MoreVideos

SafetyProducts

FeaturedProduct:

TechnicalRescuePantsby

GlobeLifeLine

AboutEMS1 Advertise ContactUs MemberSupport MyProfile PrivacyPolicy Sitemap

EMS1.com News&Video PopularProducts PopularTopics Resources InOurNetwork

EMS1isrevolutionizingthewayinwhichtheEMScommunityfindsrelevantnews,identifiesimportanttraininginformation,interactswitheachotherandresearchesproductpurchasesandsuppliers.Ithasbecomethemostcomprehensiveandtrustedonlinedestinationforprehospitalandemergencymedicalservices.

ColumnistsEMSNewsEMSNewslettersEMSVideosCopyrightInfoNewsReportsParamedicTVRSSFeeds

AEDs/MonitorsAmbulancesCPREMSSoftwareEMTBooksMedicalEquipmentAllEMSProducts5.11TacticalGear

AirMedicalCardiacCareEMSManagementFireEMSMedical/ClinicalSearch&RescueTraumaAllEMSTopics

EMS101EMSJobsEMSGamesEMSGrantsEMSProtocolsEMSTrainingEMS1Sponsors

FireNewsParamedicJobsFireGrantsEMTExamsHomelandSecurityTacticalEMS

FollowUs

VisitotherEMS1NetworkSites: EMS1 Copyright©2012EMS1.com.AllRightsReserved.