What do you do if you see or hear emergency services rushing up behind you as they head to a scene?
If you are driving down the road and you see or hear emergency services coming up behind you, you are required to pull over and all the emergency services to pass.
"We’re here to remind you about what to do when you see, or hear, an emergency services vehicle responding under lights and sirens," says NZ Police.
When seconds count, it can save lives.
"We’ve had recent examples where drivers completely ignore the Police vehicle behind them. Other drivers slow right down without safely pulling over, and delay Police from responding to emergency situations.
"Please help us by allowing our team to get to those in need, so we can save lives."
Top tips when an emergency services vehicle approaches with lights and sirens:
- You are required by law to pull to the side of the road and stop as soon as it is safe to do so.
- If the lights and siren of the Police vehicle continue past you, you can resume your journey.
- Make sure you check the road is clear before moving on.
8 comments
Good Reminder
Posted on 07-08-2024 15:18 | By Yadick
A good reminder for all drivers but what really irks me is St Johns Ambulances that come up behind a line of cars stopped at traffic lights, absolutely no where to go, and the ambulance sits there with it's siren going stressing everyone out. Or they put their siren on IN or AT the intersection scaring the crap out of you instead of putting it on a little earlier and using it as the warning/alerting device it's supposed to be. Surely they're taught this at Ambulance School or wherever they supposedly train.
And when you have no option?
Posted on 07-08-2024 15:58 | By Jules L
I have been stopped at a red light at a major intersection with traffic on both sides of me, and a fire-engine comes up behind, and keeps blasting the horn (which is incredibly loud at 1 metre behind you). What am I supposed to do? The only way out is to run the red light through a busy intersection, risking a crash. If that happens, who would be held liable?
@ Yadick
Posted on 07-08-2024 16:43 | By Considered
from a first responder point of view - what irks us is how oblivious many drivers are to emergency responding vehicles, until it is right behind the vehicle or approaching from the opposite direction (even though lights and sirens have been active well before an intersection or built up traffic areas)
Yet it is only when the emergency vehicle is right on their bumper or trying to negotiate a corner with horn or siren going that the vehicle driver suddenly realizes they need to move.
Pulling over for emergency services
Posted on 07-08-2024 19:13 | By Stuart L
What annoys me is pulling over and having those behind you after the services go by pullout and try to overtake you rather than coming back onto road in an orderly fashion.
Totara Street Cycles Lanes
Posted on 07-08-2024 19:15 | By Stuart L
Can anyone explain why approx $8m was spent upgrading Totara Street for safer cycling, but the old lanes are still shown - and used instead of new facility.
@ Considered
Posted on 08-08-2024 08:16 | By Yadick
100% agree with you and you see it on our roads all the time. Rear view mirrors for a lot of people are just decorations. Modern day cars seal up well and with the stereo going or in some cases ludicrously blasting, drivers need to be more aware of their 360° surroundings.
Some use it as an excuse to push themselves ahead of other traffic as well or drive right up the emergency vehicles bum as they dangerously and arrogantly use it to get ahead. Then of course there's the arrogant scenario that Stuart L so clearly points out in his comment.
On a positive though, THANK YOU for your service.
emergency vehicles
Posted on 09-08-2024 08:33 | By Mike Heier
I believe you can go through red lights at an intersection to let emergency vehicles through as other vehicles at an intersection should be aware of the situation and be stopped anyway
truth
Posted on 09-08-2024 15:45 | By hexsayer
a few times ive been in situations with emergency vehciles needing to get to a scene and been the only person to pull over in a line of cars to try let them past after i did then a few other people did but theres always that one idiot, that keeps driving in ignorant bliss. what if it was one of your loved ones in that ambulance?
people dont know when to indicate, giveway, stop, dip their highbeams, stickshift... which brand of cereal do they buy because these "drivers" acting like they got their license as a prize out of a cereal box.
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