I originally published this article back in 2011, but I noticed that the subject has cropped up again. The first part of the text below is the original article.

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A reader recently asked this question about emergency vehicles and what is the best course of action when dealing with them:

[This incident happened a few months back.]

I was approaching a large sized roundabout with the intention of going straight on. As I was nearing the first exit, I noticed blue flashing lights appearing from the first exit road, and saw an ambulance hurtling towards the roundabout at high speed, but with no sirens on at all. I didn’t spot the Ambulance until quite late on, but soon realised that it didnt look like it was going to stop, and was going to crash into me if I didn’t do something about it. In response I had to perform an emergency stop in the middle of the roundabout and give way to the ambulance which then carried on, still without any sirens on. Luckily there wasnt a car directly behind me or things could have been much worse.

My question is: Who was in the wrong in that situation?

First of all, it is useful to look at what Driving: The Essential Skills (TES) has to say about dealing with emergency vehicles:

Emergency Vehicles

Look and listen for emergency vehicles. As well as the normal emergency services – police, fire, and ambulance – certain others such as coastguard, bomb disposal, mountain rescue, and the blood transfusion service may use blue flashing lights. The police may also use red flashing lights. Doctors on call may use green flashing lights.

You should try to keep out of the way of any emergency vehicle. Check where they are coming from: behind (mirrors), ahead or, more importantly, across your path.

Don’t panic. Watch for the path of the emergency vehicle and take any reasonable – and legal – action possible to try to help it get through. They will not expect you to break the law, only to make a reasonable and safe attempt to help clear the way for them so that they can do the rest.

Look well ahead and choose a sensible place to pull into the side of the road, but do not endanger yourself or other road users or risk damage to your car.

Try to avoid stopping before the brow of a hill, a bend or a narrow section of road where the emergency vehicle may have difficulty getting through, but don’t

• put yourself in a position where you would be breaking the law, for example by crossing a red traffic light or using a bus lane during its hour of operation
• break the speed limit to get out of the way
• risk damaging your tyres, wheels,, or steering by bumping up kerbs

Emergency vehicles are normally travelling quickly and it is important to clear their path to allow them to do so. However, ambulances may need to travel slowly even if they have blue lights flashing because of treating a patient inside. In this case it is important for them to have a smooth ride, so don’t drive in a manner that would cause the ambulance to brake or swerve sharply.

That’s the theory. However, in reality situations will arise which don’t fit in perfectly with the theoretical approach. The heat of the moment will affect how people react (and I suspect that goes for ambulance drivers as much as anyone else).

Now, what about guidelines for driving ambulances for the drivers themselves? It’s hard to find a definitive guide (well, I haven’t, anyway). But one thing can definitely be said:

They should not put anyone’s safety at risk!

That’s their own safety, their patients’, and other drivers’. Also, the UKEmergency website says:

Blue Light Exemptions

There is no authority that issues permission to use blue, green or amber lights on your vehicle. You must just follow the law.

Any driver can drive using blue lights without needing any higher qualification that a driving licence. Most services do insist on their drivers undergoing some form of advanced driver training though, and there are moves to establishing a national standard.

While using blue lights, drivers are exempt from a number of motoring regulations, including

• treating a red traffic light as a give way sign
• passing to the wrong side of a keep left bollard
• driving on a motorway hard shoulder (even against the direction of traffic)
• disobeying the speed limit (police, fire and ambulance services only)

However, they are not allowed to

• ignore a ‘no entry’ sign
• ignore a ‘stop’ or ‘give way’ sign
• drive the wrong way down a one-way street
• ignore flashing signs at level crossings or fire stations
• cross a solid white line down the middle of the road*

*except in the same circumstances as everyone else (for instance to pass a stationary vehicle, slow moving cyclist or horse, or a road maintenance vehicle). This can cause problems for emergency drivers when other road users slow to let them pass where road markings indicate no overtaking.

Sometimes emergency vehicles may need to disobey other signs and regulations. This will depend on the professional judgment of the driver.

Or in other words, ambulance drivers have to drive within the law like anyone else at junctions, roundabouts, and so on.

Going back to the reader’s question, the first thing to remember here is that nothing serious happened, so no one was absolutely in the right or the wrong. We can only look at “what ifs” and make assumptions.

What if… the car driver had proceeded and the ambulance driver hadn’t stopped, resulting in the ambulance hitting the car? Then the ambulance driver would have been almost completely at fault.

What if… the car driver had proceeded without seeing the ambulance, the ambulance hadn’t stopped, and the car hit the ambulance? Then the car driver would have been significantly at fault, as would the ambulance driver.

What if… as a result of the car driver stopping on the roundabout, another car ran into the back of him? Then the second car driver would have been almost wholly at fault.

Assumption… that the ambulance driver wasn’t going to stop. In fact, he may well have been getting ready to, and just looked like he might not. We don’t know.

Assumption… that the ambulance driver hadn’t seen the car. He may well have done.

Assumption… that it was lucky no one was behind the car when it stopped sharply. The ambulance driver may well have seen this.

And so on. But having said all that, the ambulance really ought to have been using its sirens, and it shouldn’t have been driving in a way likely to cause problems for other road users. The UKEmergency website says as much.

In my reply to the reader, I said:

I think you did the correct thing under the circumstances, although from your description the ambulance wasn’t doing what IT should be doing properly (no sirens and not allowing for other road users). Like you say, it was fortunate that no one was behind you. Mind you, you must also allow for the fact that if there was, he would have probably seen the ambulance as well and also started to take action.

I don’t think you were in the wrong. Yes, I think the ambulance driver should have at least have been ready to give way if you couldn’t. Perhaps he saw it was clear behind you and just tried to force your hand – but it was assuming an awful lot.

Your apparent way of dealing with roundabouts isn’t wrong. However, now you know what unexpected things can happen like this, just keep an eye out for them in future. It could be boy racers or white van men going too fast.

Just learn from it and don’t worry. It’s one of those things, we all have them.

The important thing there is that we’re all human and we’re all learning – all the time… and that includes ambulance drivers. If something surprises you by emerging from an unexpected direction, next time you know to be wary of it in case it happens again. That’s exactly what the learning process is.

Finally, what we also have to remember is that most situations aren’t as complicated as this and it is usually just a case of slowing down, moving over, stopping, and so on as necessary.

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I noticed on a forum that an ADI in the Nottingham area was recently saying that he’d been “forced” into a bus lane by a police car with its sirens on. He initially held his position, but then moved over when the police car moved up bumper-to-bumper.

First of all, the Highway Code (HC) is both clear and vague at the same time:

219

Emergency and Incident Support vehicles. You should look and listen for ambulances, fire engines, police, doctors or other emergency vehicles using flashing blue, red or green lights and sirens or flashing headlights, or Highways Agency Traffic Officer and Incident Support vehicles using flashing amber lights. When one approaches do not panic. Consider the route of such a vehicle and take appropriate action to let it pass, while complying with all traffic signs. If necessary, pull to the side of the road and stop, but try to avoid stopping before the brow of a hill, a bend or narrow section of road. Do not endanger yourself, other road users or pedestrians and avoid mounting the kerb. Do not brake harshly on approach to a junction or roundabout, as a following vehicle may not have the same view as you.

I’ve made the important bit bold and underlined.

But imagine that you’re complying with that and, as a result, are preventing an emergency vehicle from getting past you at all and so perhaps putting someone’s life at risk (i.e. in the case of the fire or ambulance services going to a call)? It isn’t a far-fetched scenario – during rush hour it is almost a given that unless you move you will hold up the emergency vehicle in question.

In addition, some police forces make it abundantly clear that you’re not supposed to break the law or risk a fine, e.g.:

• Metropolitan Police
• North Wales Police

Some confuse the issue enormously by half-suggesting that you break the Law and then fight it in court and hope for the best. They even half-imply that you might not get away with it, e.g.:

• Thames Valley Police

The Fire Department appears to have a real ego problem over the subject. Both of these examples clearly advise you to “consider” pulling into a bus lane with no thought for your failed appeal against some butt-head council pen-pusher:

• Humberside Fire & Rescue
• Dorset Fire & Rescue

The situation is made even more confused by the fact that some councils will crucify you if you so much as move half a centimetre into a bus lane, no matter what excuse you give. Some are rather enlightened. Nottingham City Council, for example, says:

What is a good reason for driving in a bus lane?

There are a small number of reasons when it is OK to drive in a bus lane during the time it is in operation. Among these are;

• when directed to do so by a police officer in uniform;
• to avoid a collision or debris in the road;
• to drop off or pick up a passenger;
• to undertake a vehicle turning right (in this case ensure that the route back out of the bus lane is clear before undertaking);
• To enter or exit a driveway to a roadside property.

In all cases it is expected that the stay in the bus lane is as brief as possible.

They don’t specifically mention emergency vehicles, but their policy is so relaxed that it’s fairly obvious that these are included.

Even London has a nice, clear policy:

When can I enter a bus lane?

• During non operational times. The times of operation are indicated on the sign
• If you want to turn left within 20 metres of the junction – an arrow or a dotted white line will indicate if this is allowed
• If avoiding road works or emergency vehicles

But other councils (and Nottinghamshire County Council is a good example of this, as is Aberdeen) seem to purposely avoid mentioning it – even though it is one of the most common occurrences and, therefore, one of the most common frequently asked questions by drivers. You can only guess at what reasons they might have for deliberately not providing the most needed of information, but ka-ching! ka-ching! does spring instantly to mind.

It would be the most obvious, logical, sensible, and reasonable thing in the world for all councils to say that it’s OK to enter a bus lane to let an emergency vehicle pass. But as long as just one of them insists on playing stupid games like this then there is no obvious, logical, sensible, and reasonable solution for the motorist.

The only option these idiot councils leave drivers with is to ignore emergency vehicles, and to hell with whoever is in need at the other end. That’s what happens when you put wet-nosed graduates or elderly busybodies with nothing better to do in charge of committees. As I said recently, they have about eight brain cells between them.

Better yet, the government could do something about it and get it written into the HC – then the idiots in the councils would have to do as they’re told.

In the meantime, it makes sense to look up the guidelines for whatever council area you are giving lessons in. Some are enlightened. Some aren’t.

How do I give way to an ambulance on a motorway with no hard shoulder?

Check your mirrors and adjust your speed by easing on or off the gas to create space either for cars in front of you to pull over, or to allow the ambulance to do whatever he decides to do. Just don’t ghost alongside someone else as this will prevent the ambulance getting past at all. Move to the left side of your lane if necessary. If you’re in the outside lane, check your mirrors and signal to move to the left – someone will likely slow down to allow you in. Don’t panic, and don’t steer or brake harshly.