Tailgating an ambulance could cost a life

They are constantly bombarded with the loud noise from sirens and adrenaline pumping through their veins. They have to keep their own safety and that of their crew in tact, while they think of the patient and the people around them.

They also need to know exactly what their vehicle is capable of in different driving conditions.

It is not as easy as getting into a vehicle and driving with lights and sirens. The last thing paramedics want to do is to monitor a vehicle that is tailgating them.

ER24 urges all motorists to be patient and wait when they hear or see an ambulance approaching. Don’t tailgate! Here’s why:

“We had a patient with serious injuries in the back of the ambulance and were attempting to go through an intersection to get her to hospital as quickly as possible,” said Kerry Gamble, an Intermediate Life Support (ILS) medic at ER24’s Johannesburg North branch.

“A gentleman cut us off completely. We stopped to let him go, thinking that he might not have seen us. We carried on driving behind him and he pulled over to let us pass. Then he started following us through the centre of the two lanes.

“We slowed down as vehicles came towards us. The vehicle behind almost rear-ended us. I’ve previously been in a collision in a similar situation.”

According to Gamble, this happens often.

“I think initially, moving through intersections is a bit of an inconvenience for motorists, especially if they have to wait while the traffic light is green for them.

“I do think some see it as a way to skip traffic or to get where they are going faster. Some don’t understand that they are putting our lives, our patients’ lives and their own lives at risk.”

She said these collisions also take away resources that results in fewer ambulances being on the road.

“When vehicles crash into us after tailgating, an ambulance becomes non-operational. We could be on our way to an emergency and these types of crashes can delay or even prevent us from getting to the scene to provide the necessary help.

“The whole incident snowballs as we have to stop, assess for injuries, take statements and details, call a local manager and in some cases, have the vehicle towed away.

“All of this results in traffic congestion and may lead to a secondary collision as well,” said Gamble.

Werner Vermaak, ER24 head of communications and an advanced driving course instructor, explained that most paramedics are skilled in driving but that does not mean one has to make their job harder than it already is.

“ER24 operations personnel are required to undergo a driving test prior to being employed at the company. The company also has its own BERC programme (Basic Emergency Response Course) which is offered in-service. It is essential to teach personnel to respond to emergencies and to keep their surroundings in mind.

“Often new employees come from a service that used different vehicles or they come straight from university or college and have not received a lot of emergency response training. This course teaches the basics and how to operate emergency vehicles in different scenarios,’ said Werner.

What to do when you see an ambulance on route to an emergency:-

• Don’t panic.
• Give way.
• Constantly check your rearview/side mirrors.
• Don’t tailgate.
• Be patient
• Check before you cross an intersection even if the light is green for you to go.
• Do not blindly move in a direction or slam on brakes.
• Observe your surroundings – paramedics do too.
• Do not play excessively loud music as this will hamper you from hearing the siren.
• When you hear a siren, try and determine where it is coming from.