An ambulance responding to an emergency incident collided with a bus in Sunshine North on Sunday night, prompting a police investigation and a flood of online discussion.
Dylan Anderson
Emergency Response Interrupted
According to Victoria Police, the incident occurred just after 9pm at the intersection of McIntyre and Ballarat Roads. The ambulance, which was travelling under lights and sirens to attend an emergency, collided with a bus carrying four passengers.
The sole occupant of the ambulance, a female paramedic, sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The bus driver and all four passengers were unharmed.
Whoops…. (as seen on Dash Cam Owners Australia)
byu/mazdadriver14 inmelbourne
Investigation Underway
Authorities have not confirmed whether the ambulance was using both lights and sirens at the time of impact. Police are examining dashcam footage and speaking with witnesses to determine whether the ambulance failed to properly clear the intersection.
Anyone with information or footage is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
Reddit Weighs In
Footage from the incident appeared on Dash Cam Owners Australia and quickly made its way to the r/melbourne subreddit, where hundreds of users shared their takes:
- VoidSnug: "Call an ambulance! A different ambulance!"
- Ich_mag_Kartoffeln: "Good thing there was an ambulance close by."
- SnooDoughnuts8626: "That's a huge hit tbh. MICA in the wrong, quite odd to enter an intersection at that speed."
- CaptainSkies: "They're supposed to slow down and use the sirens. Nose into the intersection first."
- no-but-wtf: "From training: if you crash running code one, you're automatically at fault."
- DarkStarSword: "Other countries let emergency vehicles pre-empt traffic lights. Why don't we have that?"
While some blamed the paramedic, others pointed to fatigue and distraction under pressure as possible factors. Many called for better systems and clearer rules around how emergency vehicles navigate intersections.
Dylan Anderson
Safety in Focus
Though rare, emergency vehicle collisions are a recognised risk in fast-moving urban environments. Emergency responders are trained to slow down at intersections even with lights and sirens activated, but real-world urgency and variable road user behaviour can complicate responses.
As one Redditor noted, "Driving an emergency vehicle is dangerous. One split-second mistake can land you in a viral video — or worse."
The Bigger Picture
This incident adds to growing scrutiny around intersection safety and emergency response protocols in Victoria. It also raises important questions:
- Are current emergency driver training protocols sufficient?
- Should technology like Emergency Vehicle Priority (EVP) systems be more widely implemented?
- What protections exist for solo paramedics operating under high stress?
Victoria Police has not released further details but is expected to provide an update pending the outcome of their investigation.
Dylan Anderson
Dylan Anderson
