{"id":1384,"date":"2018-08-20T14:22:20","date_gmt":"2018-08-20T13:22:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scrapcarnetwork.org\/news\/?p=1384"},"modified":"2025-02-26T18:31:44","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T18:31:44","slug":"how-to-properly-give-way-to-emergency-vehicles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scrapcarnetwork.org\/news\/how-to-properly-give-way-to-emergency-vehicles\/","title":{"rendered":"How to properly give way to emergency vehicles"},"content":{"rendered":"

In theory, it\u2019s not difficult to get out of the way of emergency vehicles. It\u2019s just a matter of pulling over and letting them pass. Well, if you\u2019ve ever been in the situation yourself, you\u2019ll know that sometimes it isn\u2019t that simple. What happens if you\u2019re at a red light? What happens if you\u2019re on a one way street, or there\u2019s no room to move aside? The key is \u2013 don\u2019t panic! When those flashing lights appear in your mirrors, here\u2019s the best way to help them get through.<\/p>\n

What should I do first?<\/h2>\n

In many ways, giving way to emergency vehicles involves the same skills as dealing with any other hazard. It\u2019s just a matter of patience, awareness and decisiveness. When you first see those lights in your rear view mirrors, the first thing to do is take stock of the situation, including how far away you are from other cars. Have a quick gander at how far away the emergency vehicle is away from you, and (if applicable) what lane it\u2019s travelling in. Then, start looking for the safest, easiest way to move aside.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re on a motorway<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is the easiest scenario. In most cases on motorways and dual carriageways, it\u2019s as simple as moving to a different lane. Remember to make it a left-hand one, not the overtaking one!<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re on a residential road<\/strong><\/p>\n

Residential roads are obviously tighter, which often means you\u2019ll have to pull over for the vehicle to pass you. But don\u2019t slam on the brakes and pull over immediately \u2013 wait until it gets closer. (Otherwise, you risk having it turn off into a different lane before it reaches you, at which point you\u2019ve just become an unnecessary obstacle for everyone else!)<\/p>\n

Once it\u2019s close enough, slow down, indicate, and pull over to left-hand side. Wait until it\u2019s passed, indicate right again, and then accelerate away. Easy!<\/p>\n

The golden rules for giving way in emergencies<\/h2>\n

\"ambulance\"<\/p>\n

To be honest, in the vast majority of cases you\u2019ll just be able to move safely to the side of the road. Sometimes it won\u2019t be quite that simple, but don\u2019t worry \u2013 just stay alert to your surroundings, including how other drivers are reacting. And remember\u2026<\/p>\n

Stay calm<\/strong><\/p>\n

The biggest mistake you can make in this situation is to panic. The whole point of all those flashing lights and sirens is to ensure that you can see the vehicle from a good distance away, giving you plenty of time to react. If you\u2019re on a one-way street or you\u2019re unable to pull over, that\u2019s fine. It\u2019s the same as any normal driving; you just need to be patient and wait for an opportunity to let them past. And, besides pulling over \u2013<\/p>\n

All normal road rules still apply!<\/strong><\/p>\n

A key thing to bear in mind is that no matter how urgent the emergency, the driver of the response vehicle won\u2019t be expecting you to act in a way that puts other road users at risk. That means no changing lanes into bus lanes, and you still need to obey traffic lights and other road signals. That means, for example:<\/p>\n