Ambulance accident

[OnTheWheel 43]

Just a reminder to slow when approaching an intersection and never assume everyone sees you!

WARNING!!! the site may have banners offensive to some, open in the privace of your own home

http://www.consumptionjunction.com/content...1&Type=1&Page=1

[JCESU 20]

We just did an extrication on a JCMC bus going through an intersection enroute to a stabbing. I know both EMT's personally and greatfully they were ok when all was said and done. The MVA was IMO not caused by the bus however I learned an interesting note that I am trying to confirm. Any vehicle that is produced by an auto maker and is to be used as an emergency vehicle i.e. Ambulance Prep Package-I am told that they factory install quite a beefed up computer (Black Box) from which allot of information that you normally wouldn't have over an extended period of time. I am told that it captures up to the last 24 hours of travel time. Again if anyone can provide any information on this I would really like to know if this is fact or fiction. In the mean time I will try and grab one of my AI's and confirm or dispel the technology.

Stay Safe,

Rick

[ny10570 745]

I've never heard about it being standard equipment, but I know they are becoming increasingly popular.

[helicopper 1,050]

Many cars today have crash data recorders that can provide a lot of detailed information leading up to a crash. For hire vehicles (taxis, limos, etc.) are often equipped with cameras now that catch the moments leading up to an accident and even the accident itself.

I find it interesting that the civilian was cited for failure to yield when the ambulance blew through the red light without even slowing down. The passenger even said "red light" to the driver right before the crash, too. I'm glad everyone is OK and I'm sure that the lawyers and insurance companies will do battle over this for some time.

As for the recurring theme about emergency vehicle accidents - there is always going to be a presumption that the emergency vehicle is at fault because we're supposed to "know better" and in NY use "due regard" for everyone else. There have been tons of threads about our driving recently - this only serves to reinforce that the more lights, sirens, horns, bells and whistles we put on emergency vehicles the more we expect civilians to see us and hear us. Sadly, that's far from reality!

[Goose 188]

Add the wonderful "Road Safe" system on top of your average black box and all anyone has to do is click a button and find out how fast you were driving, if you were using lights, activating the siren, how fast u were going around turns, if you backed up w/o a spotter, etc., etc., etc.

It's annoying as all hell, but its admissible in court and will likely save your a** - assuming you were operating the vehicle properly.

Edited July 1, 2007 by Goose

[RescueKujo 130]

AMR's company wide policy is to stop at all red lights, then proceed. It has saved my bacon more than a few times, because as I was stopped, another vehicle zipped through the intersection (once was one of our Medic units going to a different response, another time it was a Code 3 police vehicle). In my opinion this is a very good policy. Remember your EVOC and defensive driving skills. I don't know about back east, but our lights and sirens are only a request for the right of way.

[JetPhoto 626]

For about $200 you can get a "mini black box" that plugs in to the vehicles ODB II port and it will monitor vehicle info such as temputure, voltage, speed how hard you hit your brakes, ect. It's a great tool if you want to monitor your crews, you unplug it and it hooks up to your laptop with a USB port.

Go to this web site for more info

http://www.scientificsales.com/8211-Car-Chip-p/8211.htm

[Goose 188]

IMO, thats not enough to do the job. You need something that is consistently storing or transmitting data back to a central computer and can identify each driver. I really doubt the above link is going to do much of anything in court, i only have experience with Road Safe, but there has to be a number of different systems that are similar out there.

[helicopper 1,050]

Add the wonderful "Road Safe" system on top of your average black box and all anyone has to do is click a button and find out how fast you were driving, if you were using lights, activating the siren, how fast u were going around turns, if you backed up w/o a spotter, etc., etc., etc.

It's annoying as all hell, but its admissible in court and will likely save your a** - assuming you were operating the vehicle properly.

If you play by the rules "Road Safe" or other such systems will be a major blessing if someone accuses you of wrongdoing . If you're still dumb enough to screw around with Road Safe installed in your vehicle, shame on you.

I know someone who got a speeding ticket on the Thruway in Ambulette equipped with a recording tach and he was able to prove that he was not going more than 60 miles an hour. He was accused of 70-something if I remember correctly. The judge accepted the printed tach record as proof of the vehicles speed. I think this was the same type of system that Greenburgh PD used to have - those big ol' ugly speedometers mounted in the cab or car.