Life-Saving Benefits of Ambulance LED Lights

When a life-threatening emergency is taking place and responders are attempting to get to a location as quickly as possible, an ambulance is one of the most common vehicle types that will be utilized. The goal of ambulances in such situations is to arrive at the location as fast as they can, and one major tool aiding in this process is the use of warning lights atop and on the sides of the vehicle.

At LED Equipped, we’re proud to offer a wide variety of emergency vehicle LED light bars and related solutions, with products for numerous first responders, trucks and other vehicles. Our bright, powerful LED lights help identify any kind of emergency vehicle to other traffic in the area, alerting drivers to their presence and allowing for clear, safe roadways and fast transportation to emergency sites. In today’s blog, we’ll look at some of the specific ways quality warning lights on ambulances help save lives, plus the specific benefits of LED lights if you’re among those who operate these vehicles.

Noise Isn’t Always Enough

As most who drive regularly are well aware, ambulances and other forms of first responders will typically use both visual warning lights and audible siren warnings to alert drivers, pedestrians and others to their presence. Oftentimes, the noise from a siren is enough to get people out of the way quickly without incident – but there are many situations in which an ambulance’s siren will not be heard or otherwise understood by nearby motorists.

Consider, for instance, that many drivers listen to music or other audio through their headphones or the vehicle’s speakers. Others may be impaired by some type of drug, alcohol or medical condition and therefore will not respond to a siren as they should.

For all such cases, or even those where both audio and visual warnings are appreciated, the use of lights on an ambulance can be invaluable. Even if a driver has their music turned way up, for instance, they will typically be able to see and understand the message of a strong LED light bar when it is in their line of sight.

Easily Noticed

In addition, warning lights on ambulances and other first response vehicles are ideal because they quickly and effectively get the attention of other drivers and pedestrians. As opposed to the relatively low attention-getting power of sirens, for example, LED light bars can be seen from hundreds of feet away – potentially even farther depending on environmental factors such as weather and time or day of the week.

It’s not just audible features like music or podcasts that can distract drivers and prevent them from noticing emergency vehicles, after all. Drivers may also be distracted by texting, talking on cell phones, playing games and much more. LED lights on an ambulance or other first responders’ vehicles will be visible even if the driver is distracted in one way or another due to these and other common factors.

360-Degree Views

Today’s modern LED lights come in formats that can be customized to meet the needs of emergency responders and others, with models that include both single- and multi-directional options. A light bar with a fan spread pattern, for example, will have lights on every side of the unit in order to provide 360 degrees of visibility.

Multi-directional lights can be rotated in nearly any direction at all, with some standard models including a tilt-and-swivel capability. With the use of such lights, ambulances and other emergency response vehicles can emit bright warning signals in all directions when on the move, potentially warning others to take action even before they come in contact with the vehicle.

Easy to Mount and Maintain

Another reason why these products are so beneficial is their ease in both application and maintenance. By investing in a light bar designed for use on an ambulance, responders can enjoy features including sturdy handles and simple installation using pre-drilled holes with included hardware.

The products are also designed to be lightweight, which makes them easy to mount either by permanent or temporary means – AND allows for easier maintenance all around since the units are less likely to fall from the vehicle in the event of a bump or collision.

In addition, LED lights for ambulances and other emergency response vehicles can be purchased in kits that include all necessary pieces and hardware, including mounting brackets; this makes them even more convenient to apply. Simply put, this also means that the average ambulance driver is more likely to take the time to install multiple quality lights when these items come sold in combination.

Lighting the Road

In addition to all of the above, quality ambulance lights provide yet another area of value: They increase the amount of light on the road for their drivers, an especially important need when responding to emergencies at night. This isn’t to say that standard ambulance headlights are poor by any means — most are quite robust. However, adding some additional light bars with powerful LED bulbs can be a great way to bring more life onto the road while around rail crossings, around corners and other areas where visibility is limited.

This is especially valuable in situations where inclement weather is present, particularly during winter months. With snow on the ground and ice on roads, for instance, having lots of extra lights visible to other drivers is an absolute must in order to prevent collisions (and even worse). While these warning lights aren’t your primary resources here, they can absolutely serve as secondary resources – and could help to prevent a significant number of accidents.

Specific Benefits of LED Lights

To this point, we’ve been covering the general life-saving benefits of warning lights on ambulances and other emergency vehicles — but not all such warning lights are created equal. Specifically, LED lights hold several major advantages over others you’ll find on the market, including:

• Lifespan: LED lights simply last exponentially longer than others commonly used on emergency response vehicles. Many LED light bars and related products are rated for 100,000 hours or more, for instance, with some units surviving for more than 13 years. If you’re investing in lights as a means to save the lives of others (and your own), this is incredibly beneficial – why invest in something that can be replaced every 3-5 years when you could choose something that lasts 5x as long?
• Energy efficiency: In addition, LED lights use less power than others. In fact, many units can get up to 80% more mileage from a battery charge compared with the standard lights typically found on emergency response vehicles. This is naturally beneficial in several ways, including reduced costs and decreased environmental impact (since you’ll find yourself recharging batteries far less often).
• Size: As if all of the above wasn’t enough, LED lights are also smaller than their counterparts — which makes them easier to install and position. For instance, when one of these products is attached to an ambulance with pre-drilled holes and hardware, there’s no worry about it falling when hit by another vehicle or when the ambulance hits a pothole or speed bump. Again, since you’re likely using lights as a means to protect lives (including your own), this is an important benefit that shouldn’t be overlooked.
• Durability: LED lights are also extremely durable. This means they can take more of a beating before failing, which is obviously beneficial in emergency situations where every second counts. LED lights are also better equipped to resist impact when compared with their counterparts. If you’re looking for lights that will last for the long haul, this is certainly one of the most important benefits to consider.
• No warm-up time: Unlike other types of energy-saving light bulbs, there’s no warm-up time when using LED lights. They go from zero to full brightness instantly, so if you need them in a pinch, they’ll be ready at a moment’s notice.

For more on the life-saving benefits that come with ambulance warning lights, or to learn about any of our LED lights for first responders and emergency vehicles, speak to the team at LED Equipped today.