Do you know what you are supposed to do when you see blue flashing lights and the sound of sirens blazing? The sudden emergence of an emergency vehicle can be stressful, especially if you are a newly qualified driver and you do not know what to do.
Read on to find out everything there to know about giving way to an emergency vehicle, including how to stay calm during this stressful time.
How can you recognize an emergency vehicle?
Many types of emergency vehicles include police cars and vans, ambulances, fire trucks and vans, lifeboat launching vehicles, mountain rescue vehicles, and coast guards. Although the colours of emergency vehicle lights vary from one emergency vehicle to another, the most common light colours are blue, red, green, and amber.
Vehicles with flashing blue lights are exempt from many road traffic regulations, such as stopping at red lights and obeying the speed limit.
What should you do when an emergency vehicle comes up from behind?
When you see or hear an emergency vehicle coming up behind you, you should allow it to pass immediately. That being said, you should not break any driving or traffic laws to do so. For example, you should not jump a red light to make way for an emergency vehicle, as this could put other road users at risk.
Try to remain as calm as possible and move over one lane if you can and it is safe to do so. If you cannot move over, you should slow down to a reasonable speed and move over as much as you are able to allow the emergency vehicle to go past you safely.
You should not pass a moving emergency vehicle when its lights and sirens are in use, but you can pass one if it is parked.
Should you stop when you see an emergency vehicle?
You should not immediately stop when you see an emergency vehicle approaching, as this can cause a build-up of traffic and may result in an accident. Stopping in the middle of the road can also make it more difficult for an emergency vehicle to manoeuvre around you.
Instead, you should move yourself to the side of the road and come to a controlled stop. This manoeuvre should be carried out without putting yourself or any other road users at risk or committing any motoring offences.
Are you legally required to pull over for an emergency vehicle?
Yes, it is a legal requirement to make way for an emergency vehicle that has its lights and sirens on. If you knowingly hinder or obstruct an emergency vehicle, then you are committing an offence and could face prosecution.
In a court of law, you must prove that you broke the law or committed a driving offence to make way for an emergency vehicle. It is also an offence to pass a moving emergency vehicle while it has its lights and sirens on. However, you may be able to pass an emergency vehicle if it is parked.