Having Pt move their own vehicle after traffic collision

LACoGurneyjockey

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I have a question...
On a BLS ambulance out of our service area, we are on the freeway driving back from the hospital in a neighboring city when we come upon a rear end collision, 2 vehicles, in lane #3 lane of 4. Driver of the first vehicle is fine, second driver states he's just shaken up, and his lower back is a little sore, saying he doesn't feel he needs to go to the hospital. Traffic is going around us in the #1 and #3 lanes at 30-40mph, so I figure we'll just clear them from the freeway, wait for highway patrol and be on our way. Advise them that we'll block the #3 and 4 lanes and they can pull their vehicles to the shoulder.
Both vehicles now on the shoulder, go back to the driver of the second vehicle to say highway patrol is on the way and be sure he does not want transport. He is now c/o 7:10 back pain radiating to his neck and shoulders.
At that point my partner and I begin back-boarding as local Fire arrives and takes over. They finish spinal and transport code 3 to nearest receiving.
Did I make a mistake by instructing him to clear his vehicle from traffic? I did not feel the scene was safe in the #3 lane with traffic on either side at 40mph. Should I have waited for the fire/ems response of that city rather than acted w/ my partner to make the scene safe? In the brief contact I made, the driver stated he was shaken up and "sore", but upon further questioning denied any "pain", and stated he did not want to go to the hospital. At that point it just looked like a minor fender bender, dangerously located in the middle of the freeway.
In short, what if anything should we have done differently? In our service area we are dispatched second to the FD, and 99% of the time have Fire and/or PD on scene upon arrival, and so this was something neither I nor my partner had previously had to handle.
 
Was the patient ambulatory on scene prior to your arrival?

I'm guessing not considering they were in the middle of the freeway...

We don't tell people to move their vehicles until whatever law enforcement agency shows up. What I personally would have done was made brief contact with both people like you did then gotten back in the ambulance and waited until fire or pd showed up to either block traffic or take a quick peak then have them move if the drivers are capable to do so. If not as soon as we get them out PD will move the car for them.

I also probably would have tried to take the 3 and 4 lanes to give myself some space then when everyone else shows up do a quick move like I talked about above.

With that said I'd be careful about blocking traffic if you're not in your coverage area. I might have missed it but do you work for a transport agency or a 911 agency? If you work for a private IFT I could definitely see a Cop be upset about you blocking freeway lanes...

You have to remember though, your safety is the most important thing with your partner in a close second.
 
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Was the patient ambulatory on scene prior to your arrival?

Both drivers were ambulatory and walking in the lanes of traffic when we arrived, more concerned with exchanging insurance info than getting off the middle of the 10 freeway in downtown LA.
We are a private BLS 911 ambulance contracted with the FD.
 
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Both drivers were ambulatory and walking in the lanes of traffic when we arrived, more concerned with exchanging insurance info than getting off the middle of the 10 freeway in downtown LA.
We are a private BLS 911 ambulance contracted with the FD.

I remember a few months ago something similar happened on the 10 in El Monte area I think, our BLS ambulance, a City of West Covina Fire Dept Paramedic Ambulance and LA Co Fire Paramedic Squad were driving along within a few car lengths of each other by pure happenstance, when a couple cars had a fender bender in front of all of us and the drivers were more interested in walking around trading insurance info than getting out of the friggin number 1 lane -_- I wonder how many other times three EMS units (two of which ALS) were on scene inquiring about injuries (there were none) at a fender bender before lol

The other times we encountered a "still alarm" on the freeway, disabled vehicle blocking the number 2 or 3 lane, no injuries we just parked with our lights on to prevent a follow on accident and waiting for CHP to show up (though once they simply dispatched a tow truck instead)

BLS with local FD contract? I'm guessing AmeriCare? (Though I can see where you may not necessarily want your company ID'd)
 
California driver's manual:
Move your vehicle off the street or highway if no one is injured or killed

I also remember seeing the same thing on signs posted along several California highways.
 
Sounds like you did nothing wrong. There is no reason to stay in a travel lane, cops don't need to see the vehicles in the area the accident occurred. Plus most states traffic codes say move
 
He didn't call 911 nor ask for your help, so...

Oh my, I must have misunderstood the term still-alarm. Next time I pass an accident on freeway I'll just wave and blow kisses. Since he didn't want our help, I have to assume FD just kidnapped him and abandoned him at the trauma center.
 
Oh my, I must have misunderstood the term still-alarm. Next time I pass an accident on freeway I'll just wave and blow kisses. Since he didn't want our help, I have to assume FD just kidnapped him and abandoned him at the trauma center.

Kisses are optional, yet a nice gesture...................

If your assistance was not requested, then you don't have a patient and probably should have just kept on going. Just my humble opinion.

If this was a scene where you were needed, requested, and obligated to render care, then yes, I would evaluate the need to ensure safety on the scene. Whether or not I would have the vehicles moved would be a case by case call. I can see arguable defenses on both sides.
 
If we come up on a fender bender with lanes block, and nobody on scene, and everyone involved is okay. I see no issues with assisting the parties to the side of the roadway out of lanes. If fire would not have been dispatched, CHP would have probably thanked you for clearing the lanes for them.

CHP dispatches will also request that parties move their vehicles out of the roadway when you call in to report collisions if there are no injuries.
 
He didn't call 911 nor ask for your help, so...

But an ambulance passing an accident without stopping would catch a lot of heat. After all ambulances are pretty much moving billboards.
 
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