Istanbul ambulance delays caused by traffic and illegal parking

Dr. Murat Lafçı, Chief Physician of the Istanbul Provincial Ambulance Service, has identified traffic congestion, narrow streets, and illegal parking as the primary obstacles delaying ambulance response times in Istanbul.

In urban areas, the average response time is between 8 and 8.5 minutes, while in rural areas, it ranges from 13 to 15 minutes. Lafçı noted that while rural areas might logically expect longer delays, the use of ambulance helicopters helps mitigate these issues. However, urban centers face significant challenges.

The most severe delays are occurring in the Fatih and Beyoğlu districts. Specifically, neighborhoods such as Sultanahmet, Nişanca, and Tahtakale in Fatih, as well as Kulaksız and Kılıçali Paşa in Beyoğlu, have reported response times exceeding the city average.