Speed humps slow ambulances and increase death rates ?

[Cyrus1971]

It’s a debate that has been around a while. That having the nation paved with speed humps reduces road deaths, but the flip side is that Ambulances take longer to get about at speed and so their death rates increase (like for like) this is especially true of heart attack patients.

An article on it : http://www.standard.co.uk/news/ambulances-hit-out-...

Has anyone come across any interesting (or conclusive) studies / evidence for this - either way ?

Personally I wonder if it is an attempt to move deaths off the “road deaths statistics” for EC targets, and move them on to “Ambulance death statistics” for all emergencies. Then I suppose one could raise the number of ambulances and more distribution points to compensate ? If so did that happen ?

As an aside my girlfriends best friend is a Paramedic in Brixton, London and she says they all share roles, driver / medic etc. She says they are real nightmare, as well as the trend for building up the entrances to minor roads like they are a pavement.

[rosscobmw]

I dont know about where you are but up here we have square speedbumps that are designed to be the right width so an ambulances wheels will go either side of them

[GadgeS3C]

rosscobmw said:

I dont know about where you are but up here we have square speedbumps that are designed to be the right width so an ambulances wheels will go either side of them

Which highlights the challenge - they work better for ambulances but are the worst possible type for low cars with an exhaust down the middle.

In the TVR I have to either straddle two bumps so the exhaust is in the gap or do about 5mph and hope that the bump isn't too severe.

Neither option is popular with Joe Public following!

[rosscobmw]

GadgeS3C said:

Which highlights the challenge - they work better for ambulances but are the worst possible type for low cars with an exhaust down the middle.

In the TVR I have to either straddle two bumps so the exhaust is in the gap or do about 5mph and hope that the bump isn't too severe.

Neither option is popular with Joe Public following!

Same, i have to go through the middle or risk ripping my intercooler off, or get tight to the kerb so only 2 wheels go over

[BlueMR2]

I drove over a few speed bumps wheels astride and you could hear the centre exhaust scraping on it abit in the W124.

I usually go over them about 2 miles an hour in the 928 anyway. So not a huge change.

Edited by BlueMR2 on Tuesday 9th October 09:23

[PAULJ5555]

And they create increased pollution.