Differential front and back seat safety belt use by prehospital care providers

Abstract

The object of the study was to assess the habits and attitudes of prehospital care personnel regarding safety belt use in the front and rear ambulance compartments. Therefore, a cross-sectional descriptive survey was administered at emergency medical service conferences and through provider agencies throughout the United States and Canada. Approximately 900 public, private, and volunteer prehospital care providers participated. Demographic information, traffic collision history, percent of time safety belts were used, belief in safety belt use, and reasons for nonuse in the rear compartment of the ambulance were measured. The results showed that safety belt use was highest in the front seat during emergency runs (median, 100%) and rarest in the back compartment during emergency runs (median, 0%). Respondents cited the following reasons for non-use in the rear compartment: inhibited patient care (67.9%), restricted movement (34.7%) inconvenience (15.1%), or lack of efficacy (5.3%). Prehospital care personnel typically wear safety belts when in the front seat, but not while in the rear compartment of the ambulance. More intensive efforts at educating prehospital care providers about the importance of safety restraints in the rear compartment, enumerating patient care activities that can be performed while wearing a safety belt, and design of a functional restraint system for the rear compartment may increase ambulance safety.