# ambulance speed?



## paramedic911 (Mar 19, 2012)

hi every one 
i just wanna know how much allow speed for ambulance on duty in yours state . i live outside USA so i ask this.
thank u everybody


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## d0nk3yk0n9 (Mar 19, 2012)

Driving normally: whatever the speed limit says, or as fast as is safe, whichever is slower.

Driving lights & sirens: up to 15 mph over the speed limit, or as fast as is still safe, whichever is slower.


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## phideux (Mar 19, 2012)

Responding in Rural areas 10mph over the posted limit, as long as it is safe. Complete stop at every light and/or stop sign.


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## EMTHokie (Mar 19, 2012)

No more than 15mph over posted limits with Lights and sirens, stop at all lights and stop signs and use due caution.


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## MSDeltaFlt (Mar 19, 2012)

My company has limits. I believe 80mph is the Max even on interstate.  My state, however, requires EMS to drive with "due regard".  Technically we don't have a set speed limit.  

Personally the posted speed limit even with lights and sirens is plenty fast enough.


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## mycrofft (Mar 19, 2012)

We have fifty states in many climate zones. Each state can pass its own laws. The rule which applies everywhere though is not to drive unsafely, and that includes speed.
BTW, we mostly use miles per hour (mph), to avoid more confusion


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## 94H (Mar 19, 2012)

In Pennsylvania ambulances cannot exceed the posted speed limits, even with Lights and Sirens. They must also come to a complete stop at every stop sign and red light.


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## Nerd13 (Mar 19, 2012)

The state of Michigan uses the 'drive with due regard to the safety of others' rule. My employer uses the 15 mph above posted speed rule. Of course, that's only when it's safe to do so. On some of the back roads you're doing really well if you can safely reach the posted speed...


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## Shishkabob (Mar 19, 2012)

Emergency vehicles are exempt from Texas vehicle code whilst doing official duties (more technically, when lights and sirens are active)


However, something goes wrong and you're in deep doo-doo if it's found out you weren't following 'due regard'.


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## Medic Tim (Mar 19, 2012)

In NB we cannot exceed the speed limit in areas Posted 60km/h (aprox 40mph) or lower. We are allowed up to 20km/h (aprox 15 mph) over the posted limit in areas over 60 to a max of 120km/h (75mph). The speed limit on the divided highways here is 110km/h(aprox 70mph) so going hot is pretty much useless on the highway as the flow of traffic is usually much faster than 120. 

that is the provincial ambulance policy.

 Legally we are exempt from motor vehicle laws as long as we drive with due regard and have the lights on. We need the siren at intersections, passing a car and passing a person.


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## DrankTheKoolaid (Mar 19, 2012)

Here in California, law allows 15mph over posted speed limit while exercising due regard for others.  Company policy just changed to a max of 10mph over posted limits, which was a good thing.


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## Bullets (Mar 19, 2012)

In the peoples republic of New Jersey only police officers using L&S are allowed to exceed the speed limit or disregard traffic laws. 

Fire, EMS, Hazmat but obey all traffic laws even running emergent, and must stop at all red lights before proceeding


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## Cup of Joe (Mar 19, 2012)

It's "due regard" here in NY.  Our agency has no max speed, but we do have our own intensive EVOC course and policies in place should you get in an accident in any agency vehicle.


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## Handsome Robb (Mar 19, 2012)

"Due regard" in Nevada as well. 

Company policy recommends no more than 10-15 mph over the posted speed but that isn't a hard and fast rule, just a general idea to base operations off of. 

NV says only lights need to be activated and use the siren "when necessary" but company policy says either all or nothing, although we can run with just lights in or near neighborhoods after 10 pm.


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## Tigger (Mar 19, 2012)

Massachusetts has "due regard" on the books, and that's all that company policy references beyond coming to a come to stop at red lights and stops signs. No max speed limit sadly.


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## Anjel (Mar 20, 2012)

Nerd13 said:


> The state of Michigan uses the 'drive with due regard to the safety of others' rule. My employer uses the 15 mph above posted speed rule. Of course, that's only when it's safe to do so. On some of the back roads you're doing really well if you can safely reach the posted speed...



This... My employer says we can drive as fast as safety allows.


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## Handsome Robb (Mar 20, 2012)

I'll add to what I said before. 

If we are running code in a construction zone or school zone we are required by company policy (not sure about the law) to drive the posted speed limit. 

Makes for slow going sometimes considering our two interstates are both undergoing heavy construction to widen them.

I will never ever speed through a school zone, no person's life is worth risking the lives of children. 

My partner and I take it a step further and have an unspoken agreement that we go the speedlimit in residential areas as well. 

We both also agree on a 85 mph cap on the freeways. Our units will do 95 but I do not want anything to do with blowing a tire and wadding an ambulance up at nearly 100 mph.


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## Tigger (Mar 20, 2012)

NVRob said:


> I'll add to what I said before.
> 
> If we are running code in a construction zone or school zone we are required by company policy (not sure about the law) to drive the posted speed limit.
> 
> ...



Being in an ambulance going 95 in in the top 20 scariest moments of my life. Words were exchanged with my partner when I finally saw the speedometer.


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## Handsome Robb (Mar 20, 2012)

Even 85 is pushing it. Fully loaded we are sitting around 18000+ lbs. That's a lot of weight going really fast, with disc brakes.

I always wondered why Type I and III units don't use air brakes but I guess it would be a total pain in the butt to get every employee a CDL with an airbrake endorsement and have it as a prereq for employment.


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## WuLabsWuTecH (Mar 21, 2012)

I'm on 2 departments:

In the urban/suburban department, our SOG says no more than 15 mph over the limit under usual circumstances.  Rolling stop of no more than 10 mph required at every intersection where you are priority negative.  Full stop required if you are not certain you have everyone yielding you the right of way.  Overall controlling words are "with due regard."

In the rural department I am on, we are suggested to go no more than 10 over the posted in populated areas.  We cover 190 square miles, and the hospitals can be over 45 minutes to an hour away.  So if we are responding from out of district, on a clear and sunny day sometimes we push it quite a bit.  But in no circumstances do we ever go faster than we are comfortable.  Remember, it's not __your__ emergency!  There have been times where response times were in excess of 2 hours when it was snowy.

I personally won't go faster than about 70 mph with a patient in the back.  I feel that past that I can't control the vehicle well enough in all circumstance to avoid throwing the crew around.  I'll go slower, 55-65 tops on non-straight roads with a pt in the back.


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## usalsfyre (Mar 21, 2012)

NVRob said:


> Even 85 is pushing it. Fully loaded we are sitting around 18000+ lbs. That's a lot of weight going really fast, with disc brakes.
> 
> I always wondered why Type I and III units don't use air brakes but I guess it would be a total pain in the butt to get every employee a CDL with an airbrake endorsement and have it as a prereq for employment.


Air brakes are slower and FAR jerkier than hydraulic brakes.


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## shfd739 (Mar 21, 2012)

Air brakes on an ambulance would be a rough ride and excessive. 

Most states have an exception for the air brake endorsement on emergency vehicles so that wouldn't be an issue.


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## paramedic911 (Mar 24, 2012)

*thanks*

thank you all for reply , i appreciate all your effort to save life
thanks again


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## pcp (Mar 24, 2012)

In sask our protocol says we have no limit, running code 2 (normal transport) we have to follow posted speed limits and follow street rules. If running code 4 we have no speed limit other then to follow road safety if roads are icy dont go 180.


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## RocketMedic (Mar 24, 2012)

At my current service, we cap out at 80. Personally, even on the interstate, I think that 80 is pushing it. A Ford simply isn't going to stop or turn on a dime and I want to do this job for a long time, not go out in a blazing rollover.


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## RocketMedic (Mar 24, 2012)

Airbrakes are also a bit less reliable without constant maintenance than hydraulic brakes, in my experience. A brake leak can usually be felt or at least noticed with a careful inspection of the vehicle. Air brake failures tend to be a lot harder to detect and they usually are a lot harder to fix.

*experience is from military vehicles, so it may vary significantly. Strykers are notorious for blowing front brake lines.


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## Aidey (Mar 24, 2012)

For those of you who say you go the speed limit, or no more than 10 over, on the interstate are you talking about the posted speed limit or what everyone is actually driving? Because where I live everyone goes 5-10mph over the speed limit on the interstate normally.


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## shfd739 (Mar 24, 2012)

Aidey said:


> For those of you who say you go the speed limit, or no more than 10 over, on the interstate are you talking about the posted speed limit or what everyone is actually driving? Because where I live everyone goes 5-10mph over the speed limit on the interstate normally.



For us we are 10 over posted up to a max of 75. So if we are in a 75 zone we're stuck running code at the speed limit. 

If traffic is running under the limit then no more than 10over what traffic is doing.


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## DitchDoctor44289 (Mar 25, 2012)

10 over in the city.


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