Causes of Traffic Collisions of Ambulance Cars at the Prague Emergency Medical Services

The aim of the project is to increase the protection of patients, employees and the organization by means of data collection about traffic collisions of ambulance cars.

Study Overview

• Status: Enrolling by invitation
• Conditions: Traffic Collision; Transport Accident

Detailed Description

Published research studies have shown not only that approximately half of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers show signs of severe fatigue before traffic collision, but also that drowsy or tired EMS providers are significantly more often injured at work. Among the circumstances and factors contributing to the collisions, including environmental, road or equipment factors, the real causes of the collisions remain unclear, but might be investigated through interviews with participating drivers. The aim is to increase the protection of patients, employees and the organization by collect data in both qualitative and quantitative ways and to identify factors and measurable variables that might lead to strengthen healthy driving habits under the blue lights. The factors associated with ambulance accidents are not similar to those of the general driving population. The in-depth analysis of the whole problem aims not only to clarify the causes of collisions, but especially to create prevention steps so that such situations occur as little as possible.

The methodology will use the so-called mixed design - a combination of in-depth interviews with participating members of collisions (employees, or patient / relative), data from the road-scans and qualitative data including measurable variables.

A video-analysis of the collision will be performed. All data will be recorded anonymously - each participant in the accident will receive a special number for coding, under which they will appear. Data will be presented both in descriptive statistics and after statistical analysis (chi square test for independence and Fischer's exact test at the level of significance = 0.05).

In terms of qualitative data, in-depth interviews and their coding will be performed using grounded theory (based on Strauss and Corbin methodology). The aim is to gain the same view of events and their actions as the members of the group.

The sample of participants depends on collision rate, which was 50 incidents in the year 2020 (expecting approx. 100 cases in 2 years).

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 100

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Czechia
  • Praha, Czechia, 10100
    • Prague Emergency Medical Services

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 21 years and older (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Ambulance drivers of the Prague Emergency Medical Services with traffic collision.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• ambulance driver involved in a traffic collision of ambulance car
• consent to participate in the study
• video recording of the collision exists and can be used

Exclusion Criteria:

• disagreement with participating in the study
• video recording of the collision cannot be obtained

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Driver; Ambulance driver who was involved in a traffic collision - video analysis of the collision records and in-depth interview aiming to find the cause of the collision.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Severity of the collision	3 levels of collisions' severity were set: (1) minor collision outside the public road, (2) minor collision caused on a public road and (3) severe collision.	Through study completion, an average of 2 year or until collection of 100 observations in total.
Time frame of the collision	The time frame of the collision - includes the interval in which the collision happened - (1) way to the patient, (2) transport of the patient, (3) handover of the patient, (4) way from the hospital to the base, (5) out of duty.	Through study completion, an average of 2 year or until collection of 100 observations in total.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: David Peran
• Investigators: Study Chair: David Peran, Dr., Prague Emergency Medical Services; Study Director: Jaroslav Pekara, Ph.D., Prague Emergency Medical Services

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Chiu PW, Lin CH, Wu CL, Fang PH, Lu CH, Hsu HC, Chi CH. Ambulance traffic accidents in Taiwan. J Formos Med Assoc. 2018 Apr;117(4):283-291. doi: 10.1016/j.jfma.2018.01.014. Epub 2018 Feb 7.
• Tanaka K, De Lorenzo RA. Lights and Siren: A Risky Business? Ann Emerg Med. 2019 Jul;74(1):110-111. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2019.01.026. Epub 2019 Feb 21. No abstract available.
• Wolfberg DM. Red Lights and Siren: High risk, high liability, little reward. JEMS. 2017 Feb;42(2):18-9. No abstract available.
• Watanabe BL, Patterson GS, Kempema JM, Magallanes O, Brown LH. Is Use of Warning Lights and Sirens Associated With Increased Risk of Ambulance Crashes? A Contemporary Analysis Using National EMS Information System (NEMSIS) Data. Ann Emerg Med. 2019 Jul;74(1):101-109. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2018.09.032. Epub 2019 Jan 12.
• 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 Apr;32(2):209-216. doi: 10.1017/S1049023X16001503. Epub 2017 Jan 30. Erratum In: Prehosp Disaster Med. 2019 Jun;34(3):345.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): July 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (ANTICIPATED): June 30, 2023
• Study Completion (ANTICIPATED): December 31, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 25, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 18, 2021
• First Posted (ACTUAL): March 22, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): August 18, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 17, 2021
• Last Verified: August 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: safety; emergency medical services; ambulances; traffic collision
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Disease Attributes; Emergencies
• Other Study ID Numbers: ZZSHMP_001_2021

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No