Emergency sirens: What to do when you see emergency vehicles
Every now and then we hear emergency sirens when we are driving on Ontario roadways. While most drivers first reaction is to identify which direction the sirens are coming from and identify the emergency vehicle that is approaching, many drivers tend to panic a little.
Emergency sirens often catch drivers off guard, however, no matter how you react or where you are on the road; all drivers need to know what to do when emergency vehicles such as police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks approach.
Failure to clear the roadway is not only a nuisance for the drivers of emergency vehicles, it can also be a matter of life or death for the people the emergency vehicles are trying to reach.
Here is what you need to know about emergency vehicles:
It’s the law: All drivers are required by law to pull over and stop to clear a path for oncoming emergency vehicles.
Move over to the right: Move over to the right shoulder of the road and come to a complete stop until the emergency vehicle has passed.
Clear the intersection: If you are in an intersection when an emergency vehicle approaches, check your surroundings and move out of the intersection safely to allow the vehicles to pass.
Watch out for emergency vehicles on the road: If you see an emergency vehicle stopped on the shoulder of the road, slow down and move over into the left lane if you are on a multi-lane road.
Don’t follow emergency vehicles: It is illegal to follow less than 150 meters behind any emergency vehicles.
All drivers need to know the law and rules of the road when it comes to emergency vehicles. If you are not sure about what to do, take to time to research the rules of the road. If you don’t abide by these laws, you could face a serious fine.