Policy Research
RESEARCH
KOTI - Korea Transport institute
A Study on the Emergency Response System for Road Accidents
- Date
May 11 2014
- Page(s)
page(s)
The purpose of this study is to analyze the short-term effects of the Fatal Traffic Accident Instant Response System in Seoul in 2013 and introduce strategies and techniques for transferring road accident trauma patients within 20 minutes.
With various efforts to improve road safety, such as traffic safety education and expansion of safety facilities, the number of traffic fatalities in Korea has been declining since 1994. But in the case of Seoul, traffic fatalities stayed around 450 since 2010. This showed us the limitation of existing efforts to reduce the number of deaths.
This study shows the five step process in transferring seriously injured patients to a local trauma center less than 20 minutes after the accident. Additionally it presents the present stage of each step and proposes improvements.
Considering 23% of traffic fatalities occur in single vehicle accidents, the study suggests the first step to be an automatic message send by the black box declaring the road accident. Simultaneously a CCTV service should catch the sound of the crash and send an x-alert. These systems need to be developed and connected.
The second step is to prompt the emergency numbers in Korea, 112 and 119, to share their information with each other. As a result more rapid rescue and medical response will be performed.
The third step suggests the introduction of traffic signal preemption for emergency vehicles and development of GPS navigation providing directions to the scene. Both are needed to reach the scene faster.
In the fourth step, as EMT-B frequently reach trauma patients, taking an advanced trauma life support is possible for becoming EMT-P. As such this research proposes support and training for encouraging EMT-P certification.
Finally, the fifth step suggests communication between the 119 emergency number and hospitals should be improved so doctors can be ready to treat trauma patients as soon as they arrive
With various efforts to improve road safety, such as traffic safety education and expansion of safety facilities, the number of traffic fatalities in Korea has been declining since 1994. But in the case of Seoul, traffic fatalities stayed around 450 since 2010. This showed us the limitation of existing efforts to reduce the number of deaths.
This study shows the five step process in transferring seriously injured patients to a local trauma center less than 20 minutes after the accident. Additionally it presents the present stage of each step and proposes improvements.
Considering 23% of traffic fatalities occur in single vehicle accidents, the study suggests the first step to be an automatic message send by the black box declaring the road accident. Simultaneously a CCTV service should catch the sound of the crash and send an x-alert. These systems need to be developed and connected.
The second step is to prompt the emergency numbers in Korea, 112 and 119, to share their information with each other. As a result more rapid rescue and medical response will be performed.
The third step suggests the introduction of traffic signal preemption for emergency vehicles and development of GPS navigation providing directions to the scene. Both are needed to reach the scene faster.
In the fourth step, as EMT-B frequently reach trauma patients, taking an advanced trauma life support is possible for becoming EMT-P. As such this research proposes support and training for encouraging EMT-P certification.
Finally, the fifth step suggests communication between the 119 emergency number and hospitals should be improved so doctors can be ready to treat trauma patients as soon as they arrive