Ambulance crash: a qualitative analysis of trends, characteristics and associated factors

Ambulance crashes is an accident that occurs either during or after providing ambulance services. The increase in the accident shows the importance of specific research to investigate ambulance accidents due to the risk of road accidents that are high compared to other occupations. This study adopts a qualitative research approach in a case study—ambulance crash trends up and down (fluctuate) throughout five years. There were 42 cases recorded, resulting in 34 in hospital compared to 8 cases under the District Health Office (Health Clinics). Most serious ambulance accidents
with 19 cases (2017), 8 cases (2018), 7 cases (2015), 5 cases (2016) and 3 cases (2014). Characteristics factor such as working shift among drivers, model or type of ambulance, location of the accident, ambulance age during accidents and range of experience among driver. State Road and Federal Road (36%) equally higher incidence compared to highway (26%) and non-gazetted road (2%). Contributing factors lead by environment factor (36%), driver's negligence (29%), third party (19%) and geographic consideration (5%). Thus, further research that involves a broader scale and obtaining data from the whole of Malaysia is required to have a better picture of the actual scenario and root cause of the ambulance crash in Malaysia.