Most drivers know they should move aside swiftly when an emergency vehicle with blue lights approaches from behind but not everyone knows the correct thing to do
Most motorists are aware that they should promptly make way when an emergency vehicle with blue lights is approaching from behind. However, this isn’t always the right move.
If you break traffic rules in the process – such as venturing into a bus lane or jumping a red light – you could be slapped with a hefty fine. The same rule applies if you enter a yellow box junction.
Beyond the monetary penalty, certain offences like running a red light can lead to three penalty points being added to your driving licence.
A representative for West Midlands Ambulance has offered some guidance on what to do. They advised: “If you are at the lights and can see an emergency vehicle behind you, stay where you are until the light turns green or the emergency vehicle has passed.
“Our teams are trained to safely navigate through traffic, sometimes using oncoming lanes or filter lanes.”, reports Wales Online.
“But when it is not safe, we will maintain a safe distance, turn off sirens but keep lights on, and wait until it is safe to move.”
The Highway Code instructs: “You should look and listen for ambulances, fire engines, police, doctors or other emergency vehicles using flashing blue, red or green lights and sirens, or flashing headlights, or traffic officer and incident support vehicles using flashing amber lights.”, according to Wales Online.
The rules dictate that you should stop before reaching the top of a hill, avoid climbing onto the pavement, ensure you don’t put others at risk and avoid abrupt braking. The Blue Light Aware website advises: “Of course, there will be times when there simply is no room for an emergency service vehicle to get past, or perhaps its crew are activated by their control room to respond to an emergency while they are waiting with everyone else at the traffic lights.
“On these occasions, they know that other motorists are not allowed to ‘jump’ the red light, and the emergency vehicle would ideally not activate its sirens and lights until it was safe for the vehicle in front to cross the solid white line at the junction.
“On the (hopefully) rare occasions that a blue light vehicle, in ’emergency mode’, is sitting behind another vehicle at a red traffic light, it’s important to appreciate that it would be both very dangerous and illegal for the other vehicle to move across the solid white line.”
However, if motorists cross the white line at the traffic lights, they are committing a traffic offence and could potentially cause another accident.
Will I be fined?
Crossing the white line when the light is red can lead to penalty points and a fine, but it could also pose a threat to pedestrians and other vehicles not expecting a car to cross the line.
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