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Contact the study team using the details below to take part. If there are no contact details below please ask your doctor in the first instance.
Claire
Baker
ceb2317@ic.ac.uk
Claire
Baker
ceb2317@ic.ac.uk
Claire
Baker
c.baker17@imperial.ac.uk
Claire
Baker
c.baker17@imperial.ac.uk
Other land transport accidents
This information is provided directly by researchers, and we recognise that it isn't always easy to understand. We are working with researchers to improve the accessibility of this information. In some summaries, you may come across links to external websites. These websites will have more information to help you better understand the study.
Road traffic collisions (RTCs) cause over 30,000 serious injuries or deaths annually in the UK, with faster and more accurate emergency responses shown to save lives and reduce long-term disability. This study investigates how new vehicle technologies can improve emergency care for RTC casualties by providing critical information to ambulance services.
Modern vehicles are increasingly equipped with sensors that record physical characteristics about crashes, such as the change in speed and direction of impact. From 2026, European vehicles will be rated on their ability to transmit accurate physical crash data (change-in-speed) through systems like "eCall," which already provide crash location to emergency services. This research explores how this data could predict injury severity, helping emergency responders decide where to send patients (e.g., major trauma centres) for the best possible care.
The study has two parts:
1) Data analysis: Using anonymised patient records from the South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb), we will examine 17,000 RTC incidents from 2022–2023. This analysis will assess response times, triage decisions, and patient outcomes to identify patterns and understand where technology could support improvements.
2) Staff interviews: Emergency operating staff including call handlers and resource dispatchers will be interviewed to understand current challenges in dispatching ambulances to RTCs and how new technologies could support their decisions.
By combining insights from real-world data and staff experiences, this study aims to pave the way for integrating vehicle sensor data into NHS emergency response systems. Ultimately, this could lead to faster, more accurate care for RTC victims and better use of ambulance resources.
This research is funded by the Road Safety Trust and conducted in collaboration with South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) and Imperial College London. Findings will guide future research and inform national policies for implementing advanced vehicle triage systems.
Start dates may differ between countries and research sites. The research team are responsible for keeping the information up-to-date.
The recruitment start and end dates are as follows:
Observational type: Case-controlled study;
You can take part if:
You may not be able to take part if:
In the retrospective electronic patient care record (ePCR) cohort analysis, the exclusion criteria are any patients not involved in road traffic collision (RTC), or provided with SECAmb care before 1st January 2022 or after 31st December 2023. In the staff interview focus groups the exclusion criteria is anyone who is not EOC staff or not involved in the dispatch process. Staff members are required to have held the job for 6 months.
Below are the locations for where you can take part in the trial. Please note that not all sites may be open.
Claire
Baker
c.baker17@imperial.ac.uk
Claire
Baker
ceb2317@ic.ac.uk
Claire
Baker
ceb2317@ic.ac.uk
Claire
Baker
c.baker17@imperial.ac.uk
The study is sponsored by Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine and funded by The Road Safety Trust .
Your feedback is important to us. It will help us improve the quality of the study information on this site. Please answer both questions.
Read full details
for Trial ID: CPMS 69194
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