Biomechanics of the Patient Compartment of Ambulance Vehicles under Crash Conditions: Testing Countermeasures to Mitigate Injury

Levick, Nadine; Li, Guohua; Yannaccone, John R.

doi:10.4271/2001-01-1173

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 4 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…17 A study published in 2001 retrospectively analyzed all fatal EMVCs in the United States over an 11-year period. [22][23][24][25][26][27] Risk to Safety in the General Public The effect of L&S use on the safety of the general public is clearly demonstrated by the excessive number of EMVCs that occur every year. 18 Data were obtained from the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA; Washington, DC USA) Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS).…”

Section: Reportmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…18 It is not surprising that the rear compartment poses higher risk to the EMS provider given the need for mobility during vehicle movement, potentially limited use of safety restraints by an EMS provider, potential for multiple providers in the compartment, and inherent safety risk in the design given multiple cabinets and sharp edges and numerous unsecured medical equipment that become lethal projectiles if an ambulance suddenly decelerated. [22][23][24][25][26][27] Risk to Safety in the General Public The effect of L&S use on the safety of the general public is clearly demonstrated by the excessive number of EMVCs that occur every year. A study of fatal ambulance collisions found that the ambulance was the striking vehicle in over 76% of accidents.…”

Section: Effect Of Lands Use On Ambulance Response and Transport Timesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The Use of Emergency Lights and Sirens by Ambulances and Their Effect on Patient Outcomes and Public Safety: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature

Murray

Kue

2017

Prehosp. Disaster med.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The benefits of emergency lights and sirens (L&S) use as warning devices by ambulances continue to be a debated topic in Emergency Medical Services (EMS). While the most widely studied aspect of L&S use has been related to their effect on ambulance response and transport times, the literature suggests minimal time savings with more questionable impact on actual patient outcomes. As L&S use has been shown to increase the risk for vehicle crashes, the secondary concern of ambulance design and safety also becomes an important aspect on potential design recommendations that could mitigate the effects of a crash on patients, EMS providers, and the general public. The least studied aspect of L&S use (and probably the most important) is their effect on patient outcomes and quality of medical care during transport. The current evidence suggests no significant improvement on patient outcomes and potential worsening to certain aspects of patient care during transport. The purpose of this review was to examine the current literature regarding ambulance L&S use and the risks they pose to EMS providers, patients, and the general public. In doing so, it will provide sound background for EMS leaders to better develop policies governing the use of L&S by ambulances and promote better research in the patient outcomes effect associated with their use. This review offers some strategies in mitigating the risks associated with L&S use, such as ways to reduce their overall use and modifying other related factors to emergency medical vehicle collisions (EMVCs). Murray B , Kue R . The use of emergency lights and sirens by ambulances and their effect on patient outcomes and public safety: a comprehensive review of the literature. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(2):209-216.

show abstract

Section: Reportmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Effect Of Lands Use On Ambulance Response and Transport Timesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Use of Emergency Lights and Sirens by Ambulances and Their Effect on Patient Outcomes and Public Safety: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature

Murray

Kue

2017

Prehosp. Disaster med.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…19 Levick et al evaluated ambulance patient compartments under crash conditions; they demonstrated the need for special testing to be done for the compartment. 20,21,22 Maguire and Kahn note that fatigue may be associated with the risk of crashes. 23 Medical residents working on ambulances also are at risk of ambulance crash-related injuries.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transportation-Related Injuries and Fatalities among Emergency Medical Technicans and Paramedics

Maguire

2011

Prehosp. Disaster med.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The US national EMS system is built on the premise of having an unlimited supply of 20 year olds interested in, and dedicated to, the provision of EMS care. Not only do we not have an unlimited supply of 20 year olds, we may be rapidly losing our current workforce through clearly preventable risks such as transportation incidents.Emergency medical services workers face a rate of occupational injury that is much higher than the national average and transportation-related events are a significant component of that risk. Resources must be devoted to further research, and to the development and evaluation of interventions designed to mitigate these transportation-related hazards.

show abstract

“…While 96 percent of patients were restrained at the time of the crash, only 33 percent of patients were restrained properly with both lateral belts and shoulder straps (Smith, 2015). Unrestrained individuals are significantly more likely to be injured or killed in a crash, and may also injure those around them (Levick, Li, andYannaccone, 2001a, 2001b) because unrestrained individuals can become projectiles themselves. Similar issues may apply to improperly restrained individuals.…”

Section: Improved Ambulance Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Selecting and Evaluating Case Studies of the Economic Benefits of Research and Services at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: Case Studies on Personal Dust Monitors for Coal Miners, Improved Ambulance Design, and Amputation Surveillance

Miller¹,

Metz²,

Smith³

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited. Permission is given to duplicate this document for personal use only, as long as it is unaltered and complete. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of its research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please visit www.rand.org/pubs/permissions.The RAND Corporation is a research organization that develops solutions to public policy challenges to help make communities throughout the world safer and more secure, healthier and more prosperous. RAND is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and committed to the public interest. RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors.

show abstract

Biomechanics of the Patient Compartment of Ambulance Vehicles under Crash Conditions: Testing Countermeasures to Mitigate Injury

Cited by 10 publications

References 4 publications

The Use of Emergency Lights and Sirens by Ambulances and Their Effect on Patient Outcomes and Public Safety: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature

The Use of Emergency Lights and Sirens by Ambulances and Their Effect on Patient Outcomes and Public Safety: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature

Transportation-Related Injuries and Fatalities among Emergency Medical Technicans and Paramedics

Selecting and Evaluating Case Studies of the Economic Benefits of Research and Services at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: Case Studies on Personal Dust Monitors for Coal Miners, Improved Ambulance Design, and Amputation Surveillance

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About