First of all, keep calm. Look and listen. If you hear a siren or see flashing blue lights, assume there’s something coming your way and give yourself time to plan. Turn any music off in your car so you can hear the siren better. Look for somewhere to pull over and stop if it’s safe, even if the emergency vehicle is on the other side of the road. Use your indicators to show you’re pulling over when there’s no risk of causing confusion to other road users. Stay off kerbs, pavements and verges.

Emergency vehicles come in all shapes and sizes, so if you stop, make sure there’s a large enough space for the emergency vehicle to get through. One very important point is that you should always stay safe and legal.

At traffic lights emergency drivers will try to find their way around you. They won’t expect or want you to go through a red light, so stay behind the white “stop” line. The exception is if a uniformed Police officer directs you through a red light. In these circumstances be sure you follow the officer’s exact instructions. Be careful about entering bus lanes, as it may be unsafe or illegal to do so. If you’re approaching a junction or roundabout and you see an emergency vehicle, remember the driver behind you may not have the same view, so don’t brake suddenly. If you’re already at the junction, be patient and wait for the emergency vehicle to come past. On motorways and dual carriageways, don’t overtake blue light vehicles. This will ensure you don’t become involved in the incident it’s attending. Give any responding vehicle plenty of room and follow it at a safe distance.

In a solid white line system, an emergency vehicle may switch off its siren as it follows you. It can only legally pass you if you have stopped completely, so keep going, at the speed limit if it’s safe, until you’re out of the solid white lines. Then, expect the siren to go back on, and the vehicle to come past. Also keep going on the approach to a bend, or on the brow of a hill, then pull over when there’s a better view ahead. As we mentioned, stay off kerbs and pavements, and stay off verges, as these tend to hide all sorts of obstacles and ditches.

Check your mirrors for any signal the emergency vehicle may be giving. This will help you understand where it wants to go. Of course, if it’s a Police vehicle in your mirror, look carefully, as it may be signalling specifically for you to stop. If you’ve slowed down or stopped, don’t move off or accelerate until the emergency vehicle has passed completely. Have a good look round, and be aware of other drivers who may decide to pop into a gap created by the emergency vehicle. Finally be aware that there may be more than one emergency vehicle coming. Listen for different sirens and look all round before moving off.

In summary, remaining aware and observant gives you time to anticipate and plan, without compromising your safety.  What’s more, your courtesy could be helping to save a life.

 

Thank you.

 

See the video version at www.bluelightaware.org.uk