INTRODUCTION TO EMERGENCY VEHICLE OPERATIONS

Question 1

COMPONENTS OF DRI VING FND . 2 0 1 0 . 1 0 1
The cadet will define the components of driving and vehicle control that establish foundational development for good driving habits, including the importance of using safety belts and other occupant protection devices.

Answer 1

♦ Acceleration and Deceleration

♦ Steering

Question 2

♦ Acceleration and Deceleration

Answer 2

• Acceleration is necessary to reach the desired speeds
• Drivers make conscious adjustments in acceleration and deceleration
• Acceptable strategies and methods for acceleration listed below:
• Acceptable strategies for deceleration are listed below:

Question 3

• Drivers make conscious adjustments in acceleration and deceleration
habits based on the following criteria:

Answer 3

 Engine responsiveness due to gearing and power
 Traction conditions – Dry or wet, surface condition
 Roadway characteristics and design – hills, straight, curves

Question 4

• Acceptable strategies and methods for acceleration listed below:

Answer 4

 Acceleration and deceleration should be smooth rather than rough, sudden or aggressive
 Acceleration or deceleration should be in direct relationship to the vehicle’s intended path of travel

Question 5

• Acceptable strategies for deceleration are listed below:

Answer 5

 Threshold braking is defined as – A technique used to stop a vehicle in the most efficient way without locking up the wheels
 Trail braking is defined as – A method of applying brake pressure after entering a turn allowing for a less abrupt and more accurate corner speed adjustment
 If a skid or spin occurs, the driver should stay calm and control input to the steering, gas, and brake to avoid a more violent skid or spin. If
the vehicle is entering a spin, the driver should release the throttle and smoothly steer in the direction the back end has begun to spin

Question 6

♦ Steering

Answer 6

• Over steer – Occurs when the rear tires exceed the slip angles of the front tires, thus causing the rear of the vehicle to move in the direction of the
outside corner
• Under steer – Occurs when the vehicle’s front tires have less traction during cornering than the rear tires
• Hand Positioning – The preferred hand position is nine and three on the steering wheel
• Three types of corners common to highway design are:
• Cornering methods:

Question 7

• Three types of corners common to highway design are:

Answer 7

 Constant radius – requires constant, consistent steering
 Increasing radius – requires sharp to gradual steering
 Decreasing radius – requires gradual, then sharper steering

Question 8

• Cornering methods:

Answer 8

 Scan 12 seconds ahead and evaluate the conditions of the approaching corner
 Ensure lane position adjustments occur before arriving at the corner, positioning to outside avoiding oncoming lanes
 Depending on the approach speed, braking may not be necessary. Speed control can be acquired through deceleration, “threshold braking” or “trail braking”
 Have speed under control before entering the corner to avoid heavy braking while steering

Question 9

LAW ENFORCEMENT DRI VING FND . 2 0 1 0 . 1 0 2
The cadet will recall the effects that attitude and emotions have on driving a law enforcement vehicle and the importance of hazard perception with common factors that contribute to collisions.

Answer 9

♦ Effects emotions may have on the body include:

♦ Emotions can have a distracting effect on driving to include:

Question 10

♦ Effects emotions may have on the body include:

Answer 10

• Increased heart rate and blood pressure
• Increased respiratory rate
• Muscle tension

Question 11

♦ Emotions can have a distracting effect on driving to include:

Answer 11

• Dimmed or blind powers of observation
• Distorted or slowed ability to interpret or predict events
• Impaired judgment
• Fine motor skills reduced affecting precisely timed skills (steering, braking, etc.)

Question 12

♦ Some reasons why emotions can be positive in determining driving behavior are:

Answer 12

• Reasoned fear of crash or legal consequences may restrain unsafe tendencies
• Love for family and friends motivates drivers to safer driving

Question 13

♦ The acronym SIPDE represents the preferred method for a driver to recognize and categorize hazards

Answer 13

• S – Search and scan (keep your eyes moving at all times to effectively see imminent danger)
• I – Identify hazards, identify what’s happening (road-way features and problems)
• P – Predict which hazards could potentially come into conflict with vehicle operation
 Predict 2 things
• Worst case scenario
• Actions
• D – Decide on a safe action (decide on something to do should the dog run across the road)
• E – Execute a safe action; use communication

Question 14

EMERGENCY VEHICLE RESPONSE FND . 2 0 1 0 . 1 0 3

The cadet will identify psychological factors that affect the driver during an emergency response.

Answer 14

♦ Aggressiveness – An emotional display of energy that generally impairs judgment

Question 15

♦ Aggressiveness – An emotional display of energy that generally impairs judgment

Answer 15

• Common characteristics of aggressive behavior are:
 Over confidence
 Self-righteousness
 Impatience

Question 16

♦ Assertiveness – Usually a show of confidence in knowing the skills that have been taught will be successfully applied to the safe operation of an emergency vehicle

Answer 16

• Assertiveness has been characterized as exercising the right of way, regardless of the situation

Question 17

EMERGENCY VEHICLE EQUI PMENT FND . 2 0 1 0 . 1 0 4
The cadet will identify the Utah State Code regulating the use of emergency lights and siren and list the limitations of emergency lights and sirens.

Answer 17

♦ Lights and Sirens
♦ Factors that affect the use of lights and sirens are:
♦ The responsibility for a safe emergency response rests solely with the driver

Question 18

♦ Lights and Sirens

Answer 18

• Utah code 41-6A-212 and 41-6A-904 are the statutes that govern the use of emergency vehicle equipment

Question 19

♦ Factors that affect the use of lights and sirens are:

Answer 19

• Various weather conditions
• Vehicular traffic conditions
• Location – residential vs. rural
• Emergency vehicle travel speed
• The use of lights and sirens affect the drivers behavior by:

Question 20

• Various weather conditions

Answer 20

 Fog
 Snow
 Rain
 Clear days – siren audibility tends to dissipate into the atmosphere on a clear day

Question 21

• Emergency vehicle travel speed

Answer 21

 As the speed increases, the effective distance the siren is heard
decreases

Question 22

• The use of lights and sirens affect the drivers behavior by:

Answer 22

 Development of tunnel vision
 Loss of speed reference
 Creation of a false sense of security

Question 23

EMERGENCY VEHICLE PURSUIT FND . 2 0 1 0 . 1 0 5

The cadet will identify the factors to consider when initiating, conducting, and terminating a pursuit.

Answer 23

♦ Police pursuits are considered a high risk, low frequency incident, therefore, governed by state statute and departmental policy
♦ Utah code 41-6A-21 states there is a “duty to drive with due regard for the safety of others,” when law enforcement engages in a vehicular pursuit
♦ The following factors shall be considered before an officer engages in a pursuit:

Question 24

♦ The following factors shall be considered before an officer engages in a pursuit:

Answer 24

• Is the danger/risk of the pursuit (to include the public, officer, and the suspect) greater than the danger/risk in delayed apprehension of the suspect
• “Balance test” means that a law enforcement officer shall act as a reasonably prudent emergency vehicle operator in like circumstances while making an ongoing decision process to analyze the risk of initiating, continuing, and terminating pursuit given the following considerations:
• Road conditions – weather, construction
• Time of day

Question 25

• “Balance test” means that a law enforcement officer shall act as a reasonably prudent emergency vehicle operator in like circumstances while making an ongoing decision process to analyze the risk of initiating, continuing, and terminating pursuit given the following considerations:

Answer 25

 the need to apprehend a fugitive who presents a danger to others because the serious and violent nature of the crime for which the fugitive is sought or because the fugitive’s driving presents a threat to
the public safety that may outweigh the risks that a pursuit poses to others; and
 the need to avoid pursuit if the threat of public or officer safety is greater than the need for immediately apprehending the suspect

Question 26

♦ When a pursuit is terminated and the suspect is present, a high-risk stop or “felony stop” should be conducted

Answer 26

• When feasible, back-up officers should coordinate their response with the initial officer utilizing tactics that provide the officer a tactical advantage (such as bringing suspects back to avoid leaving cover)
 Use of a police service dog or special less- than-lethal options can be considered when suspects refuse to exit vehicle

Question 27

LAW OF EMERGENCY VEHICLE OPERATIONS FND . 2 0 1 0 . 1 0 6
The cadet will identify case law, principles of liability governing emergency driving, and Administrative Rule R728-503 (Utah Minimum Standards for All Emergency Pursuit Policies).

Answer 27

♦ Negligence – The failure to use reasonable care
♦ Utah gives officers a limited exemption from certain traffic laws for emergency driving. This exemption recognizes the social importance of rapid response and apprehension of fleeing criminals.
♦ The following cases have established standards for emergency response driving:

Question 28

♦ Negligence – The failure to use reasonable care

Answer 28

• Drivers, including officers, may be held civilly liable if they are found to be negligent while causing injuries to others

Question 29

♦ Utah gives officers a limited exemption from certain traffic laws for emergency driving. This exemption recognizes the social importance of rapid response and apprehension of fleeing criminals.

Answer 29

• Any driving at high-speed increases the risk and likelihood of injury to all parties involved (public, officers, and suspect)
• The risk of injury is weighed against the need for quick response and arrest of violators
• Officers are responsible for the safety of all parties (public, officers, and suspect)

Question 30

♦ The following cases have established standards for emergency response driving:

Answer 30

• Day v. State of Utah
• County of Sacramento v. Lewis, 1998
• State of Utah v. Redding, 2004
• Brower v. Inyo County, 1989,
• Scott v. Harris

Question 31

• Day v. State of Utah – This case involved a pursuit of a vehicle for speeding, which resulted in the suspect crashing into another vehicle
killing an innocent driver. From this case the following “standard of due care” factors are used by a court to consider when a third party is injured
during a pursuit or emergency response:

Answer 31

 Density of traffic and population; area is urban or rural
 Did the incident occur on a freeway (limited access) or city streets with stop signs and street lights
 Presence of school zones and pedestrians
 Weather, visibility and road condition
 Urgency of apprehending the fleeing suspect
 If the suspect escapes, is the threat greater than the threat created by continuing the pursuit

Question 32

• County of Sacramento v. Lewis, 1998, – Police were pursuing a motorcycle with a passenger when the motorcycle crashed. Pursuing officers struck and killed the passenger.

Answer 32

 From this case, it was determined that only the abuses of government power that rise to the level of “shock the conscience of the court” will be considered
 Due process allows considerable deference to the officer’s judgment in circumstances that are tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving

Question 33

• State of Utah v. Redding, 2004, – A deputy was responding as backup in 2002 without emergency equipment activated. The deputy was traveling
71 mph in a 40 mph and collided with another vehicle, killing the passenger.

Answer 33

 In this case, the deputy was charged and convicted of negligent homicide after a criminal jury trial

Question 34

• Brower v. Inyo County, 1989, – Deputies were involved in a pursuit in which a road block was set up on a blind corner not giving the suspect notice before a collision took place

Answer 34

 From this case it was determined that the Fourth Amendment applies stating that a seizure must be reasonable
 The Fourth Amendment standard of reasonableness is not conducive to “precise definition or mechanical application”

Question 35

• Scott v. Harris – Deputies were involved in a pursuit when the suspect struck a police cruiser, then drove through a business area with pedestrian
traffic. Deputy Scott rammed the vehicle causing it to lose control resulting in a crash that left the suspect quadriplegic.

Answer 35

 This case was ruled on by the US Supreme Court. In judging whether Scott’s actions were reasonable, the risk of bodily harm that Scott’s
actions posed to Harris need to be considered and weighed against the threat to the public.
 The balance test was applied in this case and it was apparent from the video tape that Harris posed an “actual and imminent threat to the lives
of any pedestrians who might have been present, to other civilian motorists, and to the officers involved in the chase.”
 It was equally clear that the Deputy’s actions posed a high likelihood of serious injury or death to the respondent – though not the near “certainty” of death posed by, say, shooting a fleeing felon in the back of the head

Question 36

♦ The Utah Minimum Standards for All Emergency Pursuit Policy – Administrative Rule R728-503 authorized by 41-6a-212 (5)

Answer 36

• This rule establishes minimum standards for all emergency pursuit policies to be adopted by public agencies authorized to operate authorized
emergency pursuit vehicles