Some Accident Victims Die When Motorists Fail To Give Way For Ambulances On Emergency Duties—FRSC

The refusal of some drivers to allow easy passage for ambulances during emergency operations has led to the death of many accident victims and other people with health related challenges.

The Sector Commander, Federal Capital Territory of Federal Road Safety Corps, Oga Ochi, revealed this during an interview with THE WHISTLER.

He said that accident victims sometimes die on the road when people deny emergency ambulances their right of way.

THE WHISTLER had last week reported that an ambulance conveying a patient to the hospital was trapped in traffic gridlock caused by fuel queue on Airport Road Abuja.

The ambulance, which had NISA Premier Hospital imprinted on it, was obviously conveying a patient to either NISA Premier or the National Hospital when it was caught in traffic caused by fuel queue.

Our correspondent who was also caught in the gridlock that lasted for more than an hour observed that doctors came down from the vehicle to plead for road users to create a passage for the emergency van to pass.

Some people in the traffic were heard praying for the patient and asking God to keep the person alive.

The gridlock started from the Coca-Cola junction at the airport road from about 6 pm till some minutes before 8pm.

Unfortunately, there were no traffic officials to control motorists.

In April last year, the federal government had announced plans to introduce the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System, to reduce the number of deaths caused by the delay in access to healthcare services, which will provide prompt and efficient emergency medical services to the people

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, had said that elimination of delays in access to healthcare can indeed reduce the high mortality rates recorded in the country.

He said, “It is estimated that an efficient emergency medical treatment service can reduce mortality by nearly 50 per cent by reducing delays in physical and financial access especially at night.”

But speaking to THE WHISTLER Ochi said that the FRSC is intensifying its enlightenment campaign on motorists and other road users.

He said that currently, there are no penalties when an ambulance is denied passage.

Ochi said, “There is no such penalty in the road traffic regulation, it depends on the nature of blockage, you could be arrested for road obstruction, but not specifically that they blocked the road for ambulance to have access.”

On the repercussions that may result from the delay because of blockage by individuals, he said, “There are a lot of repercussions, a number of times, we notice when we are carrying accident victims, people don’t allow us to access the road, at the end of the day some of them are lost on the road, and that is one of the consequences because if the access road are not created, it will be difficult to move them to the hospital.

“We have cases where people that blocked us on the road happens to be the relation of people we are carrying, and they start regretting.

“It’s a question of people realizing that these categories of persons have right to use the road and must be given access for emergency.

“It is a question of public education and enlightening and must be a continuous thing.”

He further advised drivers to always give way to Ambulance.

“Always do your best to make way for the ambulance. They are trying to save a life, it could be someone you like,” he added

Ochi, however stated that there are laws regulating the use of siren.

“Yes, they are regulated, those that are entitled are the ones to use them, but anyone that is not entitled the vehicle can be impounded.

“Convoy drivers, ambulances, emergency vehicles, like the FRSC, the police, are the ones that have access to use them.”

Ochi noted that anyone that uses the siren to gain access on the road without having the legal backing could be arrested and prosecuted.