Thread: Ambulances and red lights.

unless the lanes were barricaded the ambo's in a hurry usually use the other lane to get through the intersection.

and yes the fine would be reversed, plenty of witnesses,

Had a case like that hit the media in SA a few years ago, bloke was fined for running a red light because he moved out of the way. There was a huge stink in the media before the govt backed down, but basically you don't break the law unless you are authorised to do so.

I have moved forward through a red light to let fire truck pass have never been booked the camera that gets me also gets the fire truck or ambo/cops car so someone must use common sense when looking at the photos. In nsw all emergency services under reds and blues are supposed to stop at red lights then procced if safe if its a real emergency i have seen them drive up the wrong side of the road and I know RFS drivers can report people for failing to give way

A simple solution is for all emergency vehicles to be fitted with a sensor that overrides the lights. Could still be awkward though if two emergency vehicles approach the same lights from different angles.
Many moons ago when I used to drive Greyhound out of Brisbane and we had coppers on point duty, we (buses of any description) never got held up at red lights. Unfortunately now that we, as a people in general, are handled by automated devices, all theses little decencies are long forgotten.
Regards
Glen

The red and blue lights and sirens are considered paramount,
if you enter an intersection, make sure that first you have checked it is clear or safe to do so, if no othr choice but to pass across then do so, but the ambos/firies or police passing thru will also activate the camera, that will then negate all those considered as reasonably moving out of the way.

The one Beeutey is reffering to (if I recall correctly) moved thru to allow an approaching ambo thru, he was basicly preempting what was going to happen anyway and as said the matter was dropped when finally the press really jumped on it ...sadly what this did achieve was to make more and more people think twice before moving out of the way.

*it is an offence to fail to move out of the way or to fail to give way to an emergency vehicle -(emergency vehicle= any vehicle used by emergency services displaying activated red/blue /emergency lights and or sirens) but nothing will exempt a driver (emergency services or general driver) from exercising due care and attention.

The old "rule" (general behaviour) of pulling over to let the emerg serv pass still stands as a good one, make sure you indicate clearly you are pulling to left and DONT slam on brakes etc in front of the vehicle (a lot do!-they look in mirror see emerg veh all lit up right behind them and slam on brakes, this increases greatly the chance of accidents and creates skids on roads (and in pants of emerg serv staff!!)

If nowhere to stop-maintain speed with indicator on to show your intention and get out of way asap (keep right over to left so emerg serv vehicle can assess and pass if they decide its safe to do so)

I have been a volly in ambos and still am in CFS and SES, so I have gotten a good look at how it all goes.

under lights and sirens when travelling:
*- in CFS vehicle ,I find most people are pretty good.
*-When I was with ambos and driving ambo ,I find most people were really good.
*-in SES vehicle ,I find less people are complying.
*-in my 'work' vehicle ,I find most people are pretty dangerously good!! (or get a visit and a "stinger" later on!)

cheers
Digger

I concur with what others have said, especially Digger. In my job too, I have had the need to run red lights and stop signs, but driving the largest Fire Vehicles in existence (overwidth and height) prompts people to move regardless.

If you are over here in the UK do not move forward to let an emergency vehicle through as this is not considered an excuse. They have fined people for this media outcry or not.

While no points if not on a UK license they will chase you for the fine. The last government outsourced the chasing of traffic fines for foreign drivers. This has changed the attitude to collecting them from the previous too hard basket.

Do not know the outcome but here they were attempting to enforce a speeding camera fine on an ambulance driver who was taking a transplant organ from donor to donee. Was on the basis they were not carrying a person so did not have right to use lights and break speed limit. Ambo would have lost job as the speed was a manditory disqualification.

This is the government's fault - it is an offence not to give way to emergency vehicles but is also an offence to go through a red light - moving out of the way of an emergency vehicle is no excuse (according to NSW law).

This very thing happened in NSW about 2 years ago - a guy moved out of the way of an emergency vehicle and was pinged by the red light camera - was fined and went to court - the magistrate applied common sense but could not find him not guilty (because he was) but did not apply a penalty or have the conviction recorded. However under a quirk of NSW law demerit points are still lost - in NSW if you plead guilty as this guy did - irrespective of the decision of the magistrate - ie Not Guilty or no conviction recorded etc the law says the de merit points must still be deducted - so in NSW if you plead guilty but are subsequently found not guilty you still loose your points.

Garry