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In the post-road accident scenario, it is crucial to understand that the speed with which actions are taken matters. The often-cited and heart-stopping ‘golden hour’ refers to the initial 60 minutes in which the ability to extend life following traumatic injury is at its highest. Refusal to engage in emergency response increases the number of delayed response times, which has short-term impacts on victims’ survival and long-term effects on their recovery and health status.
However, there is a silver lining; continued technological development is changing how emergency responders approach road accidents, coming up with new ways to make the most out of the golden hour.
To my surprise, the World Health Organization stated that Road Traffic Accidents are among the leading causes of deaths of people and there are more than 1,300000 deaths reported annually. Excluding the death toll, long response times only prolong the severity of injuries and contribute to further unnecessary fatalities. Some of the problems that can affect traditional emergency response systems include traffic, poor dispatch, and no real-time data, all of which affect the ability to extend help on time.
These challenges can however be worked around through the use of advanced technology whereby the services required to help get to the victims as well as help them in the shortest time possible is availed. Starting with Artificial intelligence incorporated into the systems, processing a real-time traffic analysis, the crash notification systems and Even the Emergency Vehicle Preemption Systems reflect sophistication leading to a promising path for improvements.
One of the most impactful technological advancements in this field is the introduction of systems like the Miovision’s Emergency Vehicle Preemption technology:
The EVP systems can be used to contact traffic lights in case of approaching emergency vehicles and make sure traffic lights turn green to allow the approach. It also helps in avoiding the delay experienced due to the intersection areas and also lessens the number of extra accidents that may involve the services of the emergency services. As it seamlessly blends with the current traffic infrastructure, Miovision’s Opticom EVP technology lets emergency vehicles assume control of traffic signals in real time so as not to be delayed much in their path. With this Miovision system, it was estimated that response times can be reduced by between 15 and 25 percent – all the while lessening the probability of an accident with an emergency vehicle.
Apart from the above-mentioned EVP systems, traffic data in near real-time are indispensable for determining optimal response times to emergencies. Current navigation systems are intelligent systems and use real-time traffic information and roadblocks, getting to the scene of an incident promptly and safely.
The integration into Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems enhances this process as well. CAD systems update dispatchers and responders in real time and this means that they do not have to take time to get more information to prevent being misled by old information that might have been given to them. For example, if a road that has been chosen for access to the scene of a call is closed due to construction or another mishap, the systems can Facilitate immediate redirection of the responders.
The other technology that is currently disrupting emergency responses is the Automated Crash Notification system. Popular in today’s cars, ACN systems are actuated by sensors and have the functionality of notifying the emergency services automatically in the event of an accident. These systems give basic information in cases of the crash including where it happened, how severe the impact was, and the number of passengers. ACN systems remove the delay of witnesses or victims of a crime calling the police and instead can notify the emergency responders within seconds.
This technology proves we cannot underestimate the role of technology which is extremely useful in cases of accidents in remote areas or at night when few people will be around to assist. Moreover, the superior ACN systems can also estimate the likelihood of injury concerning crash kinematics so that first responders can plan required subsequent medical care.
Cameras and sensors in drones can soon fly over the scene of an accident and provide the response personnel with aerial images that would otherwise take time to gather. This is especially the case in complex or massive form of accidents by which physical view at the scene may be restricted.
Drones are also able to take crucial medical items to the scene of an accident before the arrival of first responders. For instance, in instances where victims are cramped up in difficult-to-reach areas, the UAVs can carry first aid boxes, ambulances, defibrillators, or blood products and gain valuable time before the actual rescuers arrive.
The power of predictive capabilities is today being used to examine historical records regarding traffic flows, accident-prone zones, and periods when road mishaps are most likely to occur. By so doing, it becomes possible for the probability of future mishaps to be estimated at certain locations and in certain time intervals because the algorithms provide the models needed for this purpose.
With this knowledge, personnel from the crisis lines will be sent to areas that are prone to accidents, for instance, ambulances and first responders will reach the scene of an occurrence much earlier. Besides placing resources, foresight also has uses in city planning and road safety. This way, the city planners are in a position to prevent more occurrences of risky areas such as redesigning of risky intersections or improving signages in risky areas.
