green warning lights dr. russell young registrar in emergency medicine fremantle hospital, western...
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Green Warning Lights
Dr. Russell Young Registrar in Emergency Medicine
Fremantle Hospital, Western Australia
Consultant recall to the hospital; A survey of the use of Green Warning Lights and “How to Drive to Arrive”
Collaborative study; performed in York Hospital, UK with Mr. David Pring, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
and written up with the help of :Dr. H. Feaster (SHO Paediatrics at York Hospital) Dr. T. Tang (SpR Obstetrics and Gynaecology at York Hospital).
Introduction
Green warning lights are used by hospital specialists to aid travel back to their hospital in an emergency
Statutory provision for their use in UK
Green LightRegulations Green Light Users
are not exempted from obeying local speed limits or allowed to use red traffic signals as give way signs.
There is no requirement for advanced driving skills unlike emergency vehicle drivers
Method
16 point questionnaire sent to Emergency PhysiciansObstetricians and GynaecologistsPaediatricians
7 point questionnaire sent to chief of police of every regional area in UK
Results
Specialist Number Surveyed Responses Received Green Light Ownership
Emergency Physicians 49 39 17 = 44%
Obs and Gynae 86 70 14 = 20%
Paediatricians 85 57 4 = 7%
Totals 220 166 = 75% 35 = 21%
Results
Consultant
Number
responded
Use of Green Lights
(per annum)
Crashes when using green
light
Crashes when
not using green light
Emergency Physicians
39
62 of 288 journeys (22%)
1
0
Obstetricans and Gynaecologists
70
33 of 157 journeys (21%)
1
1
Paediatricians
57
4 of 45 journeys (9%)
0
5
Total
166
99 of 490 journeys (20%)
2
6
Police Survey
17 responses were received from various regional police forces before ACPO responded.
Some police forces would mitigate their actions if a green light was being used and may overlook speeding or traffic signal infringements.
Consultants Stopped by Police
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
NumberResponded
DoctorsStopped by
Police
Occasionsstopped
ED PhysicianO and GPaediatrics
Driving Habits of Consultants
Traffic Habit Possessing GWL and using it
Owning GWL but not using
Not owning a GWL
Speeding in Excess
23% 43% 47%
Crossing Red Traffic Lights
43%
(p<0.01 when comparing speeding to crossing lights)
80%
(p<0.01 when comparing speeding to crossing lights)
46%
(p=NS)
Summary
There is a significant section of consultants who own green lights and use them on a regular basis
5% of all consultants who have rushed back to the hospital have been involved in crashes
13% of consultants have been stopped by the police – and 2% prosecuted
There is significant disregard for traffic law
Green Lights seem to stop police intervention and when displayed on the car, make users more likely to obey speed limit; with a likely protective effect for both doctors and the general public.