ARVADA - Local paramedics are making a plea to the public to avoid distractions behind the wheel and pay attention to ambulances that are headed to an emergency.
A major ambulance company that supports the 9NEWS Great Hang Up campaign invited 9NEWS to ride-along with a crew in Arvada to get an up-close look at the problem.
At 5:30 p.m. on a Tuesday, the Pridemark ambulance is headed to an emergency in Arvada. A bicyclist has been hit by a car.
The lights are flashing and sirens are blaring. Most other the drivers do what they're supposed to do - pull to the right and stop.
But at the intersection of West 44th Avenue and Kipling Street, just when paramedics are about to dart through the intersection, the driver of a tan SUV cuts the ambulance off.
It's tough to tell if the driver was distracted or simply had more important things to do.
"I've had numerous close calls, yeah," Pridemark EMT Ryan Walls said.
Walls says those close calls are usually because drivers aren't paying attention.
"Texting, fixing their hair, putting on makeup, eating, doing whatever," Walls explained.
Paramedics usually don't have time to investigate what the distraction is, but say they can tell when a driver isn't focused on their surroundings.
"When they become aware that we're right behind them with lights and sirens, they get that immediate freak-out from whatever distraction they had, whether it was loud music, cellphone, kid," Walls said.
Pridemark provided 9NEWS with a video that shows another driver oblivious to the ambulance, with lights and sirens on, behind him.
"Being aware of your surroundings can cause you to avoid an accident yourself, or seeing someone pull in front of you, or an emergency vehicle behind you, if you're doing that you're not texting you're not on your phone," Walls said.
Walls says they never know what kind of call they're about to get, and that's why every moment matters.
"With a stroke patient if it's a big stroke or something like that, every second counts," Walls said.
If you would like to take the 9NEWS Great Hang Up pledge to help stop distracted driving, download the pledge form.
If you have a story about distracted driving you would like to share with us, or if your company or office has decided to sign the pledge as a team, email 9NEWS Anchor/Reporter Eric Kahnert at eric.kahnert@9news.com.
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