Don’t be alarmed: Dealing with ‘Emergency Vehicle’ Conditions
You’re probably already aware, you have to pull over when you hear an emergency vehicle siren so that they can pass. Often, the sight of flashing lights and the sound of sirens can be a surprise. If you have the proper training, you’re less likely to panic in this situation, and calmly move to one side of the road to let the emergency vehicle/s through safely.
The first thing to remember when confronted with an emergency vehicle situation on the road is to remain calm. Check your mirrors and the traffic around you. Most if not all other drivers will immediately slow down and look for the nearest opportunity to move over.
It’s good to remember that emergency vehicles generally won’t weave through traffic. They stay in the right lane and wait for other drivers to move out of the way, so they have a safe path through. When it’s safe to do so, merge left. If you can’t move left, slow down or even stop to let the emergency vehicle pass. Monitor the traffic around you and make room when you can, and it’s safe to do so.
It’s vital not to speed up to get ahead of the emergency vehicle – this can be very dangerous and cause serious accidents, making the situation even worse. If you’re stopped at a red traffic light when you hear the siren, don’t move, unless you’re in the path of the emergency vehicle and it’s safe to do so.
Once the emergency vehicle/s has passed, check all your mirrors and blindspots then slowly move back into the traffic. It’s not a bad idea to wait for a little bit to be sure there aren’t other emergency vehicles following.
Clearing a safe path for emergency vehicles is mandatory. Without the proper training, you may not be equipped to deal with these situations and could break the law or worse, cause an accident. If you fail to move over where and when possible, you could face a fine and loss of demerit points, not to mention waste valuable time in an emergency situation.
The proper driver training will make you safer on the roads, preparing you for all kinds of conditions and situation that can arise. As a responsible driver, you can help the emergency services do their job quickly and safely.