A motor vehicle crash involving a Virginia fire engine has brought to the forefront an issue that has been discussed, if not debated, many times privately by fire, police and EMS chiefs.
That issue is whether emergency vehicle drivers have become overly dependent on pre-emptive traffic devices (those designed to automatically change the traffic signals at an intersection to green in the direction of an approaching emergency vehicle).
Before I continue, let me say that in my career, I have had two accidents and several near misses while responding to emergency calls. The most serious occurred at night, when another vehicle pulled out of a private driveway along a straight stretch of a two-lane highway and crossed directly in front of me.