Nearly every South Carolina driver knows that he or she is responsible for yielding the right-of-way to an emergency vehicle that has its lights and sirens activated. However, simply having them activated does not eliminate any responsibility to exercise caution and due care on the part of the driver of the emergency vehicle.
Such a lack of caution and due care on the part of an ambulance driver is believed to be the cause of a recent auto accident.
The ambulance in question was traveling southbound on the US 17 Bypass. At the same time, a northbound vehicle was attempting a left turn at an intersection. The ambulance should have slowed at the intersection because the traffic light was red. Instead, the driver failed to slow down, which resulted in a collision.
The driver of the car the ambulance struck suffered unknown injuries. Emergency responders transported this driver to an area hospital. The same is true of the driver and passenger of the ambulance. No information was given regarding the condition of anyone involved in the crash.
Troopers with the South Carolina Highway Patrol did not report whether any charges are being contemplated against the ambulance driver. Regardless, the injured victim retains the right to file a personal injury claim against the ambulance driver and Parabasic, the company for which the driver worked at the time of the auto accident. It was not clear if the passenger in the ambulance was another employee of Parabasic or a patient. If the passenger was a patient, his or her avenue of recovery is also through the filing of a personal injury claim.