Courtesy lights for Belgian firefighter volunteers? An evaluation of a legislative proposal by means of a pilot-project.

• In Event: Quantitative Methods WG Panel 2: Experimental, Quasi-experimental, and Evaluative Approaches in Criminological Research

Abstract

This Belgian pilot project evaluated the feasibility of a Belgian draft law concerning courtesy lights for firefighter volunteers. These green flashing lights aim to make the vehicles of firefighter volunteers more recognizable in traffic and as such invite other road users to give them priority. The vehicles of firefighter volunteers remain non-priority vehicles. The firefighter volunteers must obey traffic rules at all times. Courtesy lights can only be activated when called out for an urgent intervention. Due to the other road users'courteous behaviour, the firefighter volunteers would arrive faster at the fire departments.

The pilot project explored the impact of courtesy lights on (1) firefighter volunteers' journey times; (2) other road users' behaviour; and (3) firefighter volunteers' safety feelings. The pilot project ran for 8 months: 4 months of baseline measurement (driving without courtesy lights) and 4 months of effect measurement (driving with courtesy lights).

The pilot project used a multi-method approach:
- Participants' journey times were recorded by a black box (quantitative analysis);
- The behavior of other road users was recorded by GoPro cameras installed on the dashboard of the participants (qualitative analysis);
- Participants' feelings of safety were surveyed through a questionnaire and focus group (qualitative analysis).

The analysis shows a cautiously positive result. Firefighters volunteers arrive at the location of the intervention no slower and sometimes faster whilst driving with courtesy lights compared to their journey times driven without courtesy lights. Fire service volunteers feel safe whilst driving with courtesy lights. Other road users are willing to provide the firefighter volunteers priority. However, both the other road users as the firefighter volunteers sometimes commit traffic violations whilst providing or accepting the priority.

This evaluation of the Belgian draft law appears to be rather positive. However, multiple conditions (law, practice) should be met in order to implement courtesy lights.

Author

• Irena De Greef, Vias Institute