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.