VIC: 1 Ambulance smashed every week by bad motorists

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http://www.news.com.au/national/ambu...-1226268995579

SELFISH motorists are putting the lives of the seriously ill at risk by crashing into, holding up and even menacing ambulances trying to get the sick and injured to hospital.
Documents obtained under Freedom of Information laws reveal dangerous drivers in Victoria are causing an average of a crash a week with ambulances, with the emergency vehicles being smashed by other motorists 52 times between October 2010 and October 2011.
Over the year paramedics were injured in 23 crashes, with some suffering "life-threatening/severe" injuries, including one left with neck damage after his ambulance was struck while he was in the back treating a critically ill patient.
One of the worst cases included a road rager abusing a paramedic parked in a hospital bay for blocking his way.
The man threatened to bash the paramedic and chased him into his car, before damaging the ambulance several times and driving off - leaving the officer with psychological distress.
The revelations have prompted Roads Minister Terry Mulder to look at increasing fines for irresponsible motorists.
Ambulance Employees Australia state secretary Steve McGhie said the problem was worse than ever, with increased traffic and ambulances travelling greater distances to respond to jobs outside their patch.
"There is a lot of blatant disregard from motorists towards emergency vehicles, but also a lot of these modern cars have got stereo systems designed more for homes so that they just don't hear the sirens," Mr McGhie said.
"A lot of drivers panic and stop in front to obstruct an emergency vehicle. It comes down to a lack of education."
Mr McGhie said that when people received their licence their responsibility to emergency vehicles must be reinforced and they should be taught how to safely get out of their way.
"There's this blatant disregard because I think it's just brushed over," he said.
One of the biggest spikes in crashes involved Single Response Units driven solely by MICA paramedics - the very vehicles designed to cut through busy city traffic to provide a quick response before a stretcher ambulance arrives - with five hit in the past 16 months.
Ambulance Victoria is now fitting these cars with video cameras to help determine why they are over-represented in crashes.
Last year three Victorian motorists were fined $214 and lost three demerit points for failing to give way or keep clear of emergency vehicles.
Four drivers were penalised in 2010.
Mr Mulder urged motorists to take more care.
"While we will always consider any moves to improve road safety, I think the vast majority of Victorians do their best to get out of the way of ambulances on the road," he said.
"If you can't get out of the way safely, the best thing to do is to stop and let the ambulance overtake you."