Georgia Injury Law Blog
In the future, an accident site in Atlanta could have drones hovering above wrecked cars, and high-tech ambulances equipped with video -streaming features that allow patient data to be transmitted instantly to the nearest hospital. New intelligent transportation technology could help expedite the process of responding to accident scenes, and help save more lives each year.
In car accidents, where a person has suffered devastating injuries like brain injuries or spinal injuries, the first hour after the accident is critically important. In fact, a person’s chances of surviving an accident increase dramatically if he receives life-saving critical care during this period of time. Unfortunately, very often, precious time goes by as the person is transferred to an emergency trauma care center. By the time the person reaches the center and receives the life -saving care that he needs, it is often too late.
However, at a recent conference that showcased intelligent transportation technology in Michigan, promoters exhibited new devices and technologies that can be used at accident sites to provide faster medical treatment.These technologies can be used both inside an emergency responder vehicle and outside the vehicle.
One of the technologies displayed at the event was a Max Life ambulance that came with telemedicine technology, which allows medical personnel inside the ambulance to immediately live stream or transmit data in real-time to doctors at the hospital. That provides doctors the opportunity to more quickly diagnose the medical issues involving the accident victim, and prepare the emergency room for the victim’s arrival. The technology in this particular ambulance consisted of six cameras in the ambulance and a number of other life-saving devices that actually transmitted information to hospitals.
Another technology that was showcased at the conference was an unmanned aerial vehicle, more popular known as a drone, that a police department can use to take aerial pictures of the crash site. Currently, the drones are being used for bridge assessment, but the developers of the technology believe that the technology can also be used very efficiently and effectively to take pictures of crash sites as well. A drone would be able to provide a 360° view of the accident site, allowing a much more enhanced and clearer picture of the accident scene, including debris and skid marks. The drones will make the process of conducting investigations into an accident more accurate and effective.
It’s too early to say exactly how many lives this technology could help save every year, but a number of hospitals around the country have already begun to invest in the emergency medical response technology. Technologies like these could go a long way in helping further reduce the number of people killed in traffic accidents in Atlanta.