Ambulances more visible

The days of white ambulances are numbered. Over the next decade St John will replace its fleet with new-look yellow vehicles.

Safety is the reason for the switch, operations director Michael Brooke says.

Last year ambulances were involved in 97 traffic accidents.

‘‘At the end of the day we’ve got 500 ambulances running around, doing 18 million kilometres per year, it’s not surprising we have accidents.

‘‘They’re often not our fault. When we’re driving with lights and sirens we’re not always driving at break-neck speeds, but we’re trying to get through inter- sections and do things like go on the other side of the road, so it’s all about being seen.

‘‘When we come to an intersection it is standard to slow right down to 20kmh. But sometimes, for whatever reason, there will be someone who doesn’t see it or doesn’t hear it and goes forward.’’

The new colour is standard for ambulances in European countries.

‘‘There is a bit of science behind it. This is a colour that is very easily seen in low light and certainly by older people. You also have the whole issue around colour blindness and this is a colour that they can see.’’

St John’s most modern ambulances were developed three years ago and the colour change is the next step in the development, Mr Brooke says.

Two prototype ambulances were unveiled at the Pitt St station in the central city on Friday.

One will stay in Auckland and the other will travel around the country.

The new ambulances will be introduced to the fleet as older ones are decommissioned.

They will come out at an average of one per week.

Each new vehicle costs around $150,00 before it has been kitted out with medical equipment.