East Midlands Ambulance Service is asking motorists to remember ‘not to panic’ when they see blue lights after its crews were involved in 90 crashes in eight months.
The service says between April and November, it made 90 non-fault insurance claims.
Managers say while it is ‘inevitable’ crews will sometimes be involved in accidents, the number is higher than normal and shows some drivers need reminding how to check for and respond to 999 vehicles.
Steve Farnsworth, General Manager of Fleet for the service, said: “Our vehicles drive millions of miles each year, much of the time faster than normal, so having some incidents when driving is inevitable.
“However, we are asking motorists sharing the roads with our ambulance crews to be vigilant when checking for flashing blue lights at junctions and in their mirrors.
“Each time one of our ambulances is damaged or involved in a collision, it cannot be used to respond to patients experiencing an emergency. By double checking for blue lights, you can help to reduce the number of collisions.”
Motorists are being asked not to break suddenly, move through red lights or pull up on kerbs when making room for 999 crews.
Video: EMAS video shows motorists responding in the correct way to blue lights.
What motorists are meant to do if they see flashing blue lights coming through:
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- • Don’t brake suddenly, stay calm and give yourself time to plan your next move
• Look for somewhere to pull over and stop if it is safe
• If there is nowhere to safely pull over continue to travel at normal road speed – the driver of the ambulance will look for a safe place to overtake you
• Be aware that there may be more than one emergency vehicle coming through so listen out for sirens and check around you for more blue flashing lights before moving off
• Do not try to out-run the emergency vehicle
Video: EMAS-issued video on what to do if you see blue lights behind you.
