Highway Code rule can end in 3 penalty points and fine for letting ambulance pass
Emergency vehicles such as ambulances can sometimes need to reach their destinations as rapidly as possible. When motorists see blue lights flashing and hear sirens wailing, they understand they must swiftly move their cars out of the way.
Every second is vital during an emergency, yet safety remains paramount. In a bid to keep emergency services moving as fast as possible, it's easy for drivers to suddenly panic, especially on narrow streets or roads packed with parked vehicles. Drivers may find it challenging to allow ambulances or fire engines through on congested roads.
However, it is essential that motorists stay composed and ensure they can manoeuvre their vehicle safely. This not only reduces the chance of crashes, but improperly allowing an ambulance past could land you with a penalty of up to £1,000, reports Devon Live.
The Highway Code tells drivers to give way to vehicles with flashing lights, including police cars, fire engines, ambulances and emergency doctors. However, if you breach the law whilst doing so, for instance by entering a yellow box junction or bus lane, or by driving through a red light, punishments can be harsh.
You could face a fine, and some violations can also end with three penalty points added to your licence. The Highway Code states: "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."
It urges drivers to pull over before reaching a hill's summit, to never drive onto the pavement, ensure no one else is put at risk, and to steer clear of sudden braking. The Blue Light Aware website added: "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."
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