Effects of simulation on emergency vehicle drivers' competency in training.

INTRODUCTION The number of accidents involving emergency vehicles is a major concern for emergency service providers. OBJECTIVES This study assessed the effectiveness of adding a driving simulator to a traditional training program. METHODS The sample consisted of students attending the National Emergency Medical Services Academy in Lafayette, Louisiana. Each participant self-scheduled two days in which he or she would attend the driving portion of the training class. A total of 52 participants were in the control group and 50 participants were in the treatment group. In addition to the classroom training, the treatment group used a driving simulator prior to driving on the competency course. RESULTS The treatment group took significantly less time to drive through the competency course on the first run than did the control group. It also acquired significantly fewer penalty points on the first run and required significantly fewer runs to complete the course. CONCLUSIONS Simulators can be effective training tools for teaching emergency vehicle drivers.