Responding to Emergency Vehicles on the Road

The road can be an uncertain adventure regardless of how long you have had your licence. After all, each journey involves different drivers and new challenges. In fact, one of the most panic inducing noises has got to be the blaring siren of an emergency response vehicle. After all, it is not always possible to move out of their way immediately and the pressure to do so can be immense. Here at V12 Sports and Classics we want to ensure that every driver reacts correctly which is why we have put together a brief guide on the correct way to respond…

Types of Vehicles

The most common type of emergency vehicle that people will encounter on the road is the ambulance. After all, people require medical help every single day. With this said, you may also encounter police cars, fire engines or an emergency response car too. All of them will brandish flashing blue, red or green lights and sound a siren in order to indicate that they need to pass by immediately.

Responding Correctly

When you see an emergency vehicle or hear the siren of one it is important that you respond in the correct way. The first thing you should do is switch off any music so that you are able to concentrate. After this you should check your surroundings and ensure that it is safe to pull to the side and stop. The biggest mistake that people will make is stopping immediately once they see an emergency vehicle and if you don’t tell other drivers your intention, this can cause an accident. In fact, many people are led to believe that you are allowed to go through a red light in order to let an emergency vehicle pass but this is false and you can actually be fined for doing so.

Important Advice

Emergency vehicles are given privileges that other road users are not which means it is vital that you know the methods that they may adopt in order to reach the scene of an incident. For example, if you are on a motorway then you may find that an ambulance will use the hard shoulder to get around any traffic and it is vital that you don’t block them. In addition to this, you should never hold up a junction as this will prevent an emergency vehicle from passing through.

When it comes to emergency vehicles, the first thing you need to do is stay calm. After all, the paramedic, police officer or firefighter driving the vehicle will be familiar with the situation and understand that you are trying your best. With this said, it is important to ensure that you always use your indicators to tell other road users what you intend to do. V12 have several showrooms around the country so check to see your local used car dealers. Get in contact today to find out more information!