Connecting Motor Vehicle Crashes with Emergency Medical Services Performance: Spatial Assessment for the Korean Freeway System
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems
Volume 146, Issue 6
Abstract
The purpose of this study is twofold: to assess prehospital emergency medical service performance and to improve the traffic crash survival rate on Korean freeways. To achieve these objectives, this study utilized a logit regression model to predict the likelihood of a severe crash in every Korean administrative district at the local level and compared the spatial clusters of severe crash locations with prehospital emergency medical service (EMS) performance. The results showed that the spatial proximity of freeway-exclusive EMS units and the number of definitive EMS facilities were statistically significant factors contributing to severe crash occurrence. Three cities in the southeastern, southwestern, and capital states of Korea were found to have a concentration of severe crash occurrences, longer average EMS response times, and a lower number of prehospital EMS facilities. The recommendations derived from the study include the provision of more freeway-exclusive EMS units and new definitive EMS facilities near local freeways. These recommendations are expected to inform future policymaking and decision-making on EMS planning and programming.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems
Volume 146 • Issue 6 • June 2020
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 28, 2018
Accepted: Nov 8, 2019
Published online: Mar 25, 2020
Published in print: Jun 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Aug 25, 2020
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