Ambulance drivers undergo professional training. In accordance with local regulations, ambulances must be staffed by dedicated drivers who hold the appropriate class of driver's license. These drivers must possess at least three years of driving experience and a clean record regarding major accidents over the past three years, demonstrating the ability to drive quickly and safely through heavy traffic, at night, and in adverse weather conditions.
Training also covers skills such as skid control and off-road driving. While speed is certainly important, a smooth ride is essential when transporting a critically ill or severely injured patient while medical staff administer emergency care. Driving quickly without excessive swaying on turns or jarring bumps on uneven roads requires exceptional driving skills and a high level of concentration.
Local emergency medical service centers conduct regular safety training for drivers, covering traffic laws, case studies of typical accidents, key safety points for emergency driving, and routine vehicle maintenance and troubleshooting. Furthermore, annual skills drills, refresher training, and competitions are organized to assess both theoretical knowledge (traffic regulations and operational procedures) and practical skills (vehicle inspection, stretcher loading/unloading, snow chain installation, tire changing, CPR, etc.), thereby continuously enhancing the drivers' overall competence and emergency response capabilities.
Ambulances are typically equipped with power steering, additional rollover protection bars, and modified rear suspension systems to ensure a smooth ride. Passenger capacity varies by vehicle type; for instance, intensive care ambulances usually accommodate at least seven people, while negative-pressure ambulances accommodate at least six. These configurations include the driver, medical personnel, stretcher bearers, and the patient; however, in accident or emergency situations, only one stretcher is transported.
An efficient ambulance service should be capable of arriving at the scene within 20 minutes of receiving an emergency call. However, regardless of the quality of training received by the crew, rapid arrival is often challenging-particularly amidst congested urban traffic or in older, dilapidated urban areas where street signage may be missing.
