Using personal cars for emergency transport of patients with life-threatening medical conditions: A pilot study

Abstract

Personal motor vehicle usage is not typically associated with health benefits in any cost-benefit analysis of different modes of transport. In this study, we explored the usage of personal cars for emergency transport to a hospital or emergency department because of a life-threatening situation. The data for the study were gathered as a part of a larger traffic safety survey. The sample was representative of Finnish-speaking residents older than 15 years (N = 1025). Every seventh (14.2%) respondent reported that someone from their household had used a personal car to transport a person requiring urgent medical attention to a hospital or emergency department. The types of life-threatening situations and reasons for using a personal car in these instances were also reported. We discuss the implications for cost-benefit analyses of this transportation mode.