When a crash victim dials 911, the assumption is simple: help is on the way. But according to a new report, Sirens or Silence: Tracking Emergency Response Delays from DeMayo Law Offices, thousands of Americans each year never make it to the hospital alive, not because their injuries were unsurvivable, but because emergency response systems moved too slowly.
The report found that in 2023, the U.S. recorded 40,901 traffic fatalities, yet a significant share of victims experienced critical EMS delays.
“You can survive the crash but die waiting for help,” said a spokesperson from DeMayo Law Offices. “Our data shows the cracks in our emergency infrastructure are costing real lives.”
Where the Delays Begin
Nationwide, the median EMS response time for serious crashes is about nine minutes, above the eight-minute life-saving threshold. In dozens of counties, response times exceeded 12 minutes, translating to a 46% higher mortality rate compared with regions meeting the benchmark.
During evening rush hours (5–8:59 p.m.), when crashes surge, system strain deepens.
At 5:00 p.m., there were 1,074 on-scene arrivals but just 501 hospital arrivals, a shortfall of 573 patients who never made it to emergency care.
The Human Toll Behind the Numbers
These “missing patients” reflect dispatch lags, ambulance shortages, and ER overcrowding that force paramedics to circle hospitals searching for an open bed.
In Georgia, the gap between EMS responses and hospital transports reached 1,455 patients in 2023.
In California, it was 1,292.
In Ohio, 1,204.
Each number represents a life that may have slipped through a broken chain of response.
The Long Ride That Never Ends
In several states, the average trip from crash scene to hospital now approaches 30 minutes:
- Massachusetts: 29.8 minutes
- Rhode Island: 29.6
- Hawaii: 29.4
- Kentucky: 29.4
In trauma care, survival chances plummet after the first hour without treatment, making these transport times especially deadly for injuries involving internal bleeding or head trauma.
A Call for Urgent Reform
The study urges immediate, data-driven interventions:
- Expand ambulance fleets in high-density metro areas
- Implement smart dispatch systems that route units dynamically based on proximity
- Increase hospital coordination and diversion transparency
- Invest in rural EMS infrastructure to cut geographic disparities
“This isn’t a future problem, it’s happening every night on American roads,” a spokesperson from the firm emphasized. “Every minute we shave off response time is another life we can save.”
A Public Health Imperative
With fatal crashes peaking during the summer months and evening commutes, improving EMS isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about equity and survival. The Sirens or Silence data make one truth impossible to ignore: delays kill.
About the Study:
Sirens or Silence: Tracking Emergency Response Delays examines nationwide emergency medical performance data, measuring gaps between EMS notification, on-scene arrival, and hospital transport to quantify how slow response times contribute to preventable deaths.
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