Work-related collisions involving paramedics in Quebec, Canada: an analysis of contributing factors

Objectives. This research aimed to describe the distribution and occurrence of work-related collisions involving paramedics across Quebec and compare these results with collisions of general vehicles. Methods. This retrospective study spanned 11 years of data (2010-2020) extracted from Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) road safety statistics. Statistical tests including a paired t test and the Mann-Kendall test were used for temporal analysis of aggregated numbers of injury and non-injury collisions in 17 regions of Quebec. A descriptive analysis and logit regression were used to compare the various factors, e.g., crash and environmental characteristics associated with ambulance and general vehicle collisions. Results. A higher percentage of ambulance collisions occurred at intersections (43.32%), in 50 km/h speed limit zones (48.29%), in commercial areas (48.29%) and on all types of two-way roads (62.05%). Logit models indicate that there is a significant association (p < 0.05) between collision severity and a variety of factors, including asphalt conditions, collision types and locations. Conclusion. The study results are consistent with prior research showing that Quebec paramedics have comparable incidents and collision causes related to environmental, weather and road factors. Our findings suggest several specific areas for policymakers to focus on regarding ambulance collision reduction.