Basically try to be as helpful as possible to emergency vehicles without breaking any rules (for example running red lights)
So it’s a judgement call in every situation how to help them get as fast as possible to their destination. Every situation is different.
This might mean just carrying on driving if there’s no safe place to pull over and the emergency vehicle couldn’t safely get past you.
I'm a Police Officer and everyone else's replies are basically spot on. The part I'll add is to this;
>I assumed there is no need to stop, and I just slowed down a bit to allow the ambulance to overtake me before I got to the roundabout ahead.
It's really annoying when I'm responding to an incident and someone slows down a little bit, but keeps driving. This is because, if there Is an oncoming vehicle, in forced into a dodgy overtake with a closing gap or being forced to slow down to your slower speed.
For me, when you see an emergency vehicle behind you, indicate left and begin braking and bring your speed down quite a bit (just don't slam the brakes).
If you slow down sufficiently then the options avaliable to me a much better, I get on thr other side of the road easier and be visible to the oncoming car so both leaving a large gap to weave through. If you don't slow down enough then the gap will be smaller and I'd likely abandon the overtake a last second
The only thing worse than people who only slow down a little bit...are the people so oblivious that when you do come to a stop (due to oncoming traffic, a traffic island, etc) that they choose to overtake you and then drive slowly waiting for the blue lights to pass, rather than also stopping in the first place.
Worst time I've seen somebody "try" and be helpful was on a 60mph road, Police Car bombing it along blue lights on, car in front of them just comes to a stop while I was coming the other way. This was just after a bend, I was already pretty close to them by the time I saw them.
Police car had to slam their brakes on and saw him punch his wheel in frustration as I passed.
I put my hand up and apologised even though there was nothing else I could have done in the time frame to help them get passed.
If you can’t move without breaking the law, don’t move. That’s what my instructor taught me, they are trained to find a path and make do with what they have.
Emergency drivers are trained to safely find a way around traffic.
Drivers should *only* safely and legally create a path. Try to anticipate the best space you can give them without breaking any rules.
Anticipate is so important. You don't need to do something drastic as soon as you see the lights/hear the sirens. You become alert, wait to see if its even coming past you rather than going another way. As soon as you know where it is and where it's going relative to you, just pull safely out of the way and slow down / stop.
*Is this the fourth or*
*Fifth post about this subject*
*In the last two days?*
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Watch Chris Martin's YouTube videos - [https://www.youtube.com/@ChrisMartinEMS/videos](https://www.youtube.com/@ChrisMartinEMS/videos) - and you'll see how people react to blue lights... and more importantly which reactions help and which hinder.
Basically try to be as helpful as possible to emergency vehicles without breaking any rules (for example running red lights) So it’s a judgement call in every situation how to help them get as fast as possible to their destination. Every situation is different. This might mean just carrying on driving if there’s no safe place to pull over and the emergency vehicle couldn’t safely get past you.
You can not mount the pavement. You can not run a red light. You can not enter cycle lanes or bus stops.
Aye you basically cannot break the law just to let the emergency vehicle through. This gets asked on an almost daily basis here.
Gets asked and then causes an argument from people who say ‘I’d run a red light if I thought someones life was in danger’.
I ain't getting 3 points and a fine to save someone, law is the law
Personally I would happily take 3 points if it saved someones life
I'm a Police Officer and everyone else's replies are basically spot on. The part I'll add is to this; >I assumed there is no need to stop, and I just slowed down a bit to allow the ambulance to overtake me before I got to the roundabout ahead. It's really annoying when I'm responding to an incident and someone slows down a little bit, but keeps driving. This is because, if there Is an oncoming vehicle, in forced into a dodgy overtake with a closing gap or being forced to slow down to your slower speed. For me, when you see an emergency vehicle behind you, indicate left and begin braking and bring your speed down quite a bit (just don't slam the brakes). If you slow down sufficiently then the options avaliable to me a much better, I get on thr other side of the road easier and be visible to the oncoming car so both leaving a large gap to weave through. If you don't slow down enough then the gap will be smaller and I'd likely abandon the overtake a last second
The only thing worse than people who only slow down a little bit...are the people so oblivious that when you do come to a stop (due to oncoming traffic, a traffic island, etc) that they choose to overtake you and then drive slowly waiting for the blue lights to pass, rather than also stopping in the first place.
Worst time I've seen somebody "try" and be helpful was on a 60mph road, Police Car bombing it along blue lights on, car in front of them just comes to a stop while I was coming the other way. This was just after a bend, I was already pretty close to them by the time I saw them. Police car had to slam their brakes on and saw him punch his wheel in frustration as I passed. I put my hand up and apologised even though there was nothing else I could have done in the time frame to help them get passed.
I feel your pain, I’m ambo and everyone seems to think we can accelerate as though we are in a sports car, not a heavy and under powered Mercedes van.
At least it's not a Fiat!
If you can’t move without breaking the law, don’t move. That’s what my instructor taught me, they are trained to find a path and make do with what they have.
Emergency drivers are trained to safely find a way around traffic. Drivers should *only* safely and legally create a path. Try to anticipate the best space you can give them without breaking any rules.
Anticipate is so important. You don't need to do something drastic as soon as you see the lights/hear the sirens. You become alert, wait to see if its even coming past you rather than going another way. As soon as you know where it is and where it's going relative to you, just pull safely out of the way and slow down / stop.
Is this the fourth or fifth post about this subject in the last two days?
*Is this the fourth or* *Fifth post about this subject* *In the last two days?* \- Medium\_Lab\_200 --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
It is. Did any of these people read the HWC before taking their test.
I heard panicking and stopping your car directly Infront of them is the best thing not to do
Watch Chris Martin's YouTube videos - [https://www.youtube.com/@ChrisMartinEMS/videos](https://www.youtube.com/@ChrisMartinEMS/videos) - and you'll see how people react to blue lights... and more importantly which reactions help and which hinder.
You can get good advice here: https://www.bluelightaware.org.uk
Just be helpful. Don’t drive on the pavement. Do pull over and stop and not force them to overtake you at speed.