Why do Ambulance Paramedics Speed

Paramedics try to speed so that they can get to the site of an accident or medical emergency faster. However, with the exception of travelling on a long and straight highway at a much faster speed, paramedics who really race under lights and sirens generally don’t acheive much by doing so.

In tests done in Melbourne, it was found that most paramedics who really “raced” to the scene of an accident only arrived 60-90 seconds early (on average), but the paramedics often arrive stressed and not very well composed and collected.

The other obvious downside to speeding on the way to an emergency, is that you are placing yourself and everyone else on the road at a much greater risk of having an accident and the subsequent injuries.

By all means, don’t dawdle on the way to a job, but be composed and remember that if your heart starts to race (generally because of the sort of job that your going to – such as a paediatric cardiac arrest) this is a sign that you have to concentrate and make sure that you don’t let the adrenaline of the case cause you to take un-reasonable risks on the road, by driving like a maniac. No matter how sick or your your patient is.