It’s shocking that as many as 29 people lost their lives in Kerala last year in accidents involving ambulances. Another 117 people sustained grave injuries and 63 suffered minor injuries in the 150-odd accidents in 2023. There have been 820 accidents involving ambulances since 2018, in which 161 people lost their lives and 974 injured, according to the state Crime Records Bureau. The numbers are darkly ironic because ambulances are supposed to be ‘life savers’.
The primary reason is said to be the blistering speed with which ambulances drive through traffic. Ambulances are exempt from several traffic rules as they are deemed to be handling emergencies. And speed is something they cannot avoid, because every second might count for taking the patient to a care facility. But do all patients need to be rushed through at high speed? The answer is no, say health experts—only a quarter of the patients taken on ambulances require critical care.
This means most drivers are speeding without reason. Experts say a maximum of 60 kmph is usually sufficient, as other motorists make way for ambulances. But most ambulances are driven at 80-90 kmph on busy roads, causing inconvenience and accidents. Another reason apparently behind the increasing accidents is a social media reels craze among some ambulance drivers, especially the younger ones. Even more worrying are reports of alcoholism among the drivers. Being an emergency service, the police would not stop an ambulance and subject the driver to alcohol tests; and some drivers are misusing this privilege.
All these point to the lack of proper training and monitoring. The state has 9,964 ambulances registered with the motor vehicles department, including 476 under the directorate of health services. The motor vehicles department must initiate steps to inculcate stricter discipline among those licensed to drive ambulances. Those who run ambulance services must also exercise more prudence in selecting drivers. Protocols on the use of sirens and lights must be implemented to avoid their misuse. Random checks on ambulances by the motor vehicles department can also keep the drivers on their sharpest. Only a series of such steps can ensure that more lives are not lost due to the rashness of those who are supposed to be life savers.