Demonstration video from CERAD (certificate of emergency response ambulance driving) Qualification on ambulance driving training course to three students using commentary and instructional talk through.
Routine PTS training drive using at all times the system of car control from the Roadcraft police drivers handbook keeping to road traffic laws with no moving exemptions keeping to posted speed limits with a strong emphasis on patient comfort with smooth braking and pull push steering.
This routine ambulance drive has a full talk through commentary drive to the students to show how the drive is planned for maximum comfort by using the system of car control on approach to hazards and dealing with the hazards using careful observations, early anticipation and planning and a skillful use of the vehicles controls to ensure smooth braking using acceleration sense and steering for stability and comfort for the patient's in all traffic situations.
This style of drive also has a strong emphasis on Eco friendly driving to maximise the fuel consumption and limit emissions saving money on fuel and vehicle wear and tear.
The idea of this style of driving is to plan to keep the vehicle moving through all traffic situations to avoid unessessary stopping and moving off, this is demonstrated through hazard awareness planning judgement of acceleration sense so as to use the accelerator to lose road speed and limit the use of the breaks to little or none at all and then selecting the appropriate gear to match the speed for maximum smoothness for the patient and vehicle.
The 2nd part of the video shows an ambulance blue light training run and demonstrates the contrast between routine PTS driving and blue light emergency driving where the emphasis is on making progress through traffic using the Roadcraft police driving manual system of car control
The video gives commentary on the exemptions claimed which in this video is treating red traffic lights as a give way using intelligence use of the sirens and lights so as to not sppok traffic into the ref light. The plan is to keep the vehicle moving and watch for the path of least resistance , if none is available to hold back. The video demonstrate negotiating through the red light if safe and justifiable to do so.
Exemptions are claimed for ignoring keep left and keep right signs if it is safe and justifiable and oncoming traffic is aware of our presence.
The video demonstrates exceeding the statutory speed limit where safe and justifiable to the NHS trust capping speed.
Overtaking using system of car control being aware of the moment of realisation from vehicles and planning for early extended positioning for maximum views of the road.
commentary of overtakes to the students showing safe and justifiable negotian making progress through traffic.
Dealing with road markings especially solid white lines according to the law laid down in the highway code demonstrating the ambulance has no exemption on solid white lines in the centre of the road and must not cross or straddle the solid line nearest to us unless overtaking according to the rule 129 of the highway code.
The 2nd video shows the contrast in the 2 styles of driving from routine driving to emergency blue light ambulance driving to the CERAD students