Driving over the speed limit

[scubanurse]

Are you people actually saying that you never exceed the speed limit? Seriously?

I think what they're saying and what I am going to reiterate here is that speeding is against the law. Just as underaged drinking, driving while intoxicated, shooting up heroine... When you speed, you are putting other lives in danger. In my eyes that is just plain selfish and stupid. I don't care if people go out and do whatever they want to themselves, but the moment they put someone elses life or safety at risk, that's when I take issue with it. If I am driving down the road being a law abiding citizen and going the posted speed, and some ass wipe hits me while going over the speed limit, I still have to suffer because of his recklessness.

In an ambulance it is a completely different story. Having been in an ambulance when we were hit by another driver, I take special interest in ambulance safety. At no point, should a driver break the law while driving the unit. No patient is that sick or hurt that they need balls to the wall driving. It won't do anyone good if you crash en route to the ED because you decided to go in excess of what the law states. Ambulance drivers have more responsibility than civilian drivers to obey the traffic laws because we are the face of public safety. I can't stand it when I see Police cruisers barreling down the highway in the left lane clearly going well over the speed limit, with out their lights and sirens on just because they can. What does the public then think? Well the cops are speeding so why can't I... That kind of mentality is dangerous to any society as a whole.

There is no excuse for driving dangerously period. I don't care if you've been driving ambulances your entire life and could do the EVOC cone course blindfolded... you don't break the law. Simple as that.

[FireMedic65]

In no particular order:

1. Inadequate education and training

2. Inadequate supervision

3. Managerial incompetence

4. Inadequate resource allocation

5. Immaturity

two thumbs up

[Just Plain Ruff]

Fiznat, yes I have turned some of them in for driving over the posted speed limit.

One time in particular I was sleeping and I felt something strange, like we were floating. I woke up, noticed that the highway signs were just a blur.

I looked at the speedometer and saw us going at least 85 on a 2 lane road with some moderate traffic.

I told the driver to slow down, then after a few minutes we were that fast again.

I told the driver again to slow down and he didn't.

He was reported to management.

I'd like to see what the defense someone puts up when they are running 85 in a 55 zone and they hit a guy who pulled out thinking he had enough room to get across the highway and he ends up dead.

so YES, I do report my drivers if they consistently break the speed limit.

5-8 miles an hour over is one thing, 20-25 miles over is another.

Fiznat, the question is put back to you, what will you tell the drivers family when you going 75-85 in the ambulance hit their loved one and kills them. Don't say it won't ever happen, you have just as much a chance to wreck as anyone else out there.

[Dustdevil]

Get on the radio enroute and have a supervisor meet you at the scene.

[Kiwiology]

two thumbs up

Driving over the speed limit is illegal and dangerous; remember the kinetics of high speed impact on organs like the liver, spleen and heart? I'm not getting all soap-boxish here but sure, I speed in my persy vehicle (barely possible, cheap POS Nissan that my mate totalled anyway) but we're talking like a mile or two over the speed limit.

When it comes to driving the ambulance I don't see the point; is the patients condition really that serious that shaving thirty seconds or a minute off transport or enroute time really going to make a difference? Bledsoe says no. I'm inclined to agree with him.

Our most effective tool here is the red and white lights; they do a good job, air horn works marvel (I love the air horn) and the siren prn (read: not all the bloody time!)

[Just Plain Ruff]

half the time that I see the insane speed is when they are empty and they want to get somewhere.

No patient is worth the wreck, the paperwork, the injuries and the questions and answers you have to face.

If your ambulance service has a policy listed as no speeding when non-emergency and then a certain speed above when running emergency then you are breaking policy and you have to face the consequences if caught.

I have been caught, it got me 3 days of suspension

I've been caught not backing without a backer, 1 day suspension

I learned my lessons.

[croaker260]

Our most effective tool here is the red and white lights; they do a good job, air horn works marvel (I love the air horn) and the siren prn (read: not all the bloody time!)

Actually , I can get anywhere you caan code 3 w/in 30 seconds driving safely code 2 with opticom in 90% or our response area...

Furthermore, in out academy it is stressed that ( when transporting a patient) your partner cant do his job if he has to use his hands to hold on to his seat! SO a general rule is EVEN CODE 3..we dont exceed speed limits when driving on surface roads if a patient is in the back.

STrangely , at other services, this was the hardest habit to break (driving like a nut when transporting a patient, as opposed to just responding).

We use DRIVE CAMS, BLACK BOXES, EVOC courses, and OPTICOMS as key parts of our drivers safety program. In addition, we also stress from a customer service point of view, your ambulance is a big bill board. Dont use the bill board to cut off the Voters who (hopefully) support you.

Edited April 30, 2009 by croaker260

[itku2er]

My question is Why run lights sirens and drive like Richard Petty to a scene when the patient is a DNR?

[JakeEMTP]

My question is Why run lights sirens and drive like Richard Petty to a scene when the patient is a DNR?

Well if they have a DNR and they have not gone into shock ( everybody dies of some form of shock) then they need to be treated. DNR means Do Not Resuscitate, not Do Not Treat. Edited April 30, 2009 by JakeEMTP

[JPINFV]

This sounds like something a teenager trying to get out of a speeding ticket might say lol

Stay out of Southern California then. If you go 65 in any lane but the right lane on most freeways in So Cal outside of rush hour you will be run over by a car going 80 or faster.

There are speed limits for a reason. Sure, you MAY be a good driver. But what about the asshat next to you not paying attention talking on their cell phone? It's your responsibility to drive safely. Driving over the speed limit not only increases the MOI to yourself, it also puts others in danger on the road.

If you want to drive fast, go to the race track and do a track day.

Speed limits in most areas are set around the 75th percentile of the speed of uncontrolled traffic as determined by a traffic study. Speed doesn't kill. Differences in speed and poor driving (if you're not aware of what the car 4-5 cars in front of you is doing, then you're a bad driver) kill.