Emergency Medical Services: A Summary of Findings from NHTSA Surveys

Boyle, John M., 1947- · 1996 · ROSA P / United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This report summarizes findings from two national telephone surveys conducted for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): the 1995 Customer Satisfaction Survey and the 1994 Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey. The study addresses the state of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) awareness, public confidence, and preparedness among the driving-age population (16 and older) in the United States. The motivation stems from the high prevalence of motor vehicle crash injuries and the need to understand public attitudes toward emergency response and bystander assistance. The methodology involved analyzing weighted national data from approximately 4,000 respondents in each survey. The research examined crash injury history, treatment locations, prior emergency training, willingness to stop at crash scenes, cellular phone ownership, knowledge of EMS terminology, and expectations for ambulance response times. Demographic variables including age, gender, race, education, income, and geographic region were analyzed to identify disparities in awareness and behavior. Key findings indicate that 26% of the population has required medical attention for a crash injury in their lifetime, with younger adults (16–24) experiencing significantly higher injury rates than older groups. While 74% of injured individuals were treated in hospital emergency rooms, only 31% of the general public had received emergency or first aid training in the past five years. Training prevalence was higher among those with more education, yet these individuals expressed greater reluctance to stop at crash scenes due to concerns about personal safety and liability. Conversely, 59% of the public stated they would have no concerns about stopping to help. Awareness of the 9-1-1 system exceeded 90%, and 67% expressed high confidence in emergency workers’ competence. Expectations for ambulance arrival were generally optimistic, with 70% expecting a response within 10 minutes, though rural residents expected longer delays. Cellular phone ownership in vehicles was low (17%) but correlated with higher income and education. The significance of these findings lies in the identified gap between public confidence in EMS and actual preparedness. Although the public trusts emergency responders and is willing to help, a lack of training limits effective bystander intervention. The report concludes that while awareness of 9-1-1 is widespread, efforts to improve public safety must address the low rates of first aid training and the specific barriers—such as fear of liability and safety concerns—that deter educated individuals from assisting at crash scenes. The data suggest that targeted outreach and accessible training programs are necessary to enhance the overall effectiveness of the emergency medical system.

Key finding

Fewer than one-third of the driving-age public have received emergency or first aid training in the past five years, despite widespread confidence in emergency workers and awareness of the 9-1-1 number.

Methodology

survey

Sample size: 4018

Provenance

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Topics

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• demographic disparities
• incidence prevalence
• post crash care delays

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence, crash risk outcomes