Risks in the driving of emergency service vehicles

Abstract

Little research has been published concerning the nature of emergency service vehicle (ESV) driving or drivers, and the risks they experience. This paper explores ESV collisions, and the experiences, attitudes, feelings, and behaviour of ESV drivers serving the city of Dublin. Collision types were determined from accident report forms for 2006 and 2007 that recorded 179 vehicle accidents. There were three times as many collisions driving to an emergency compared with returning from it, and this contrast was significantly greater for ambulances than for fire appliances. Collisions atjunctions were the collision type most common to both vehicles. Responses of ESV drivers were measured by a questionnaire distributed to fire stations throughout Dublin and completed by 43 front-line personnel. Under blue lights, few drivers did not enjoy driving, and they generally felt a greater sense of power. They were more likely to overtake whenever possible and take risks. Some drivers felt more aggressive, and for some, traffic congestion led to feelings of frustration and annoyance. However, drivers were more ready to react and feel more alert in an unknown area. A minority reported that being highly stimulated made their driving more risky. Being a fire fighter was seen as a stressfuljob, although not all agreed they should show or talk about their feelings. Nearly all would like further driver training. Other drivers on the road were seen as a major problem in that they do not know how to respond appropriately to an approaching ESV. The operational challenges for ESV drivers are briefly discussed within the theoretical framework of the task-difficulty homeostasis model. To remedy the blue light driving problem, it is recommended that both ESV and non-ESV drivers receive further training. For the ESV driver, this should focus on risk management and human factor variables, and for the non-ESV driver, on procedures to follow when approached by an ESV.