Sustainable Solutions for Ambulance Traffic Management and Traffic Safety in Healthcare Facilities

Abstract

Trauma and emergency cases are recognized as significant public health issues worldwide, where the safe and rapid access of ambulances to hospitals plays a vital role in the effectiveness of emergency medical services. However, inadequate ambulance entrance roads and inefficient traffic regulations in many healthcare facilities hinder prompt and safe access, compromising patient transport times and internal traffic safety. This study evaluates the safety and maneuverability of ambulance entrance roads at Süleyman Demirel University (SDU) Research and Application Hospital and Siirt Training and Research Hospital (SEA). The assessment was conducted based on TS EN 1789+A1 (2024) standards and scenario-based simulations using AutoTURN software. The analyses revealed geometric deficiencies, vehicle-pedestrian conflicts, and limited maneuvering space in the current layouts. As a solution, Scenario 3 for SDU and Scenario 6 for SEA, which feature 25-meter turning radii and dedicated ambulance-only access roads, were proposed. These designs allow ambulances to perform safe maneuvers at speeds up to 40 km/h without vehicle conflicts or geometrical restrictions. The study provides sustainable and practical design solutions that reduce patient transport times and improve traffic safety. Further studies are recommended to integrate smart traffic management and AI-based simulations to enhance the proposed models.

Keywords

• Ambulance Route Safety
• Maneuver Analysis
• AutoTURN Simulation
• Hospital Emergency Entrance
• Sustainable Road Design

Sağlık Tesislerinde Ambulans Trafiği Yönetimi ve Trafik Güvenliği için Sürdürülebilir Çözümler

Abstract

Travma ve acil vakalar, dünya genelinde önemli bir halk sağlığı sorunu olup, ambulansların hastaneye güvenli ve hızlı erişimi acil sağlık hizmetlerinde hayati bir faktördür. Ancak, birçok sağlık tesisinde ambulans giriş yolları ve mevcut trafik düzenlemeleri, hızlı ve güvenli erişimi zorlaştırmakta ve hastane içi trafik güvenliğini olumsuz etkilemektedir. Bu çalışmada, Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi (SDÜ) Araştırma ve Uygulama Hastanesi ile Siirt Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi (SEA) örneklerinde ambulans giriş yollarının güvenliği ve manevra kapasitesi değerlendirilmiştir. TS EN 1789+A1 (2024) standartları dikkate alınarak, AutoTURN yazılımı ile farklı hız ve manevra senaryoları test edilmiştir. Analizler, mevcut yollarda geometrik yetersizlikler, araç-araç, araç-yaya çakışmaları ve dar manevra alanları gibi önemli sorunları ortaya koymuştur. Önerilen tasarımlar kapsamında, SDÜ Hastanesi için Senaryo 3 ve SEA Hastanesi için Senaryo 6, 25 m dönüş çapına ve ambulanslara özel girişlere sahip düzenlemeleri ile 40 km/s’ye kadar güvenli manevra imkanı sağlamaktadır. Çalışma, hasta taşıma süresini azaltan ve trafik güvenliğini artıran uygulanabilir ve sürdürülebilir tasarım çözümleri sunmakta ve gelecekte akıllı trafik yönetimi ile yapay zeka destekli analizlerle geliştirilmesi önerilmektedir.

Keywords

• Ambulans Yol Güvenliği
• Manevra Analizi
• AutoTurn Simülasyonu
• Hastane Acil Girişi
• Sürdürülebilir Yol Tasarımı

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