Two Michigan Ambulance Crashes Reported During Emergency Runs

Within 12 hours, two Michigan ambulances were involved in separate accidents during emergency runs.

Three people were injured in Wayland on Wednesday, May 20, when an ambulance was rear-ended by a pickup truck. The ambulance was transporting a patient to a Grand Rapids hospital and traveling northbound on US-131 around 7 p.m. when the collision occurred.

According to Allegan County Sheriff's Sgt. Ryan Rewa, the crash took place near mile marker 63, south of the 135th Avenue exit, after a pickup truck driver fell asleep at the wheel.

The collision caused the ambulance to veer into a ditch and flip onto its roof. After the crash, the patient was flown by Aero Med to Corewell-Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids in serious condition.

The two ambulance staffers were also hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. No injuries were reported from the pickup truck driver.

The incident remains under investigation. Northbound US-131 was closed for approximately five hours and has since fully reopened.

Approximately 10 hours later, around 5 a.m. Thursday, another ambulance was involved in a crash in Allendale.

A LIFE EMS ambulance was responding to a call with its lights and sirens on when the crash occurred.

According to Ottawa County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Cassie Tolman, the ambulance was driving westbound on Lake Michigan Drive through the 48th Avenue intersection when it collided with a 2013 Chevy Equinox traveling north on 48th Avenue.

According to OCSO, the ambulance initially approached the intersection at a red light. It came to a stop before continuing through after clearing the intersection with its lights and sirens activated.

The Equinox driver, a 45-year-old Hudsonville man, and both people in the ambulance, a 32-year-old man and a 24-year-old man, were all reported uninjured.

The Ottawa County Sheriff's Office says the crash remains under investigation and has not released additional details.

What Happens When an Ambulance Is Involved in a Crash?

Crashes involving ambulances and other emergency service vehicles can raise legal issues that may not apply to ordinary car accident claims.

Under Michigan law, drivers are generally required to yield to authorized emergency vehicles using lights and sirens. But emergency vehicle operators must still drive with due regard for the safety of others.

In ambulance crash investigations, officials may review whether the ambulance had its lights and sirens activated, whether it slowed or stopped before entering an intersection, whether other drivers yielded, and whether any traffic violations contributed to the collision.

Why Liability Can Be More Complicated

Ambulance crash cases can involve more than one legal issue. Depending on the facts, investigators and attorneys may need to review No-Fault benefits, vehicle insurance, the actions of other drivers, the ambulance operator's conduct, and whether any immunity rules apply.

If an ambulance is operated by a government agency, Michigan governmental immunity rules may become part of the analysis. MCL 691.1407 generally provides immunity to governmental agencies when they are engaged in a governmental function, unless a statutory exception applies. One possible exception involves the negligent operation of a government-owned motor vehicle under MCL 691.1405.

These crashes reportedly involved LIFE EMS ambulances. LIFE EMS is a private, locally owned and operated organization that partners with local governments through service contracts. Whether governmental immunity or other liability protections apply would depend on the specific operator, ownership structure, contract terms, and facts of the crash.

Ambulance providers and EMS personnel may also have certain liability protections under Michigan's Emergency Medical Services Act. MCL 333.20965 includes immunity language for certain EMS-related acts or omissions unless gross negligence or willful misconduct is involved. Whether that statute applies to a crash claim is fact-specific and should not be assumed from the fact that an ambulance was involved.

Michigan's Vehicle Code also matters. MCL 257.603 addresses emergency vehicle privileges, while MCL 257.653 states that the duty to yield does not relieve an emergency vehicle driver from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of people using the highway.

Get Help From Michigan Legal Center

Michigan Legal Center is the Law Offices of Christopher J. Trainor & Associates. Our attorneys help injured people and grieving families across Michigan with car accident claims, No-Fault benefits, emergency vehicle crashes, wrongful death cases, insurance disputes, and serious injury claims.

After a serious crash, our attorneys can review police reports, preserve evidence, identify available insurance, evaluate No-Fault benefits, and determine what legal claims may be available.

Call (248) 886-8650 or contact Michigan Legal Center for a free consultation.

There is no attorney fee unless money is recovered for you. Case costs and fee terms are governed by the written fee agreement.

Sources

Note

Our firm used outside sources when creating this post. We have not independently verified every fact regarding these accidents. If you find information that is incorrect, contact Michigan Legal Center immediately so we can correct the post. This post can be removed upon request.

Disclaimer

This post is for general information only and is not legal or medical advice. If a photograph is used with this post, it was not taken at the actual accident scene unless specifically stated. This post is not a solicitation for business.