when a ambulance driver has his/her sirens on and flashing lights?

Question

are they allowed to go the wrong way round a island, this morning i was approaching a island, i looked to the right , and carried on driving around the island i did not see the ambulance at that time, as i am going round to take my exit , a ambulance came at me the wrong way, we both had to do a emergency stop, as did the driver behind me, i was very lucky the ambulance didn't hit me, so what i want to know is are they allowed to do that .

Answer 1

The emergency services do need to assess the situation in a split second. I have taught blue light lessons and there is a lot of pressure to meet attendance times.

What I read in your question was that you LOOKED RIGHT, but not left. TO be honest with you , looking right is brilliant, but before I move off I ALWAYS check my left and scanning the road ahead.

Just a few months ago, I had a pupil on roundabout lessons. In our town there is a large roundabout with 4 exits. Just as she moved off I had to dual brake her because right in front of us ( we were on the r/a) there was a Renault Scenic who missed the middle of the r/a and decided to just turn right. He almost hit us and just drove off. Later on further into the lesson we were heading back along the road and right in front of us was a police car with the scenic. I stopped and went over to tell the officer about our near miss. The driver was from Poland and had just bought his car and decided to take his family out for a drive, only trouble NO LICENCE.



Back to your question, if an emergency vehicle has to get to where they are going then they can "break" normal driving rules, but they will be held accountable if they cause an accident.

Answer 2

In Maine, U.S.A. an ambulance driver HAS the right to go the wrong way down a road if the lights and siren are on and if the road is blocked at an intersection by traffic in the normal driving lane the ambulance driver can drive into the oncoming traffic lane to get around the traffic. This is known as challenging the oncoming traffic and is VERY LEGAL and done quite often.



As someone stated the ambulance driver driver does have to use reasonable care to make sure that the other drivers see them and cannot just cut people off and cause an accident.



My questions are why didn't you hear the ambulance? Why didn't you see the ambulance before having to make a panic stop?



Were you too busy doing something other than driving (talking on a phone looking at someone instead of the road and around the vehicle you were driving) and have the music up so loud you could not hear the siren?

Answer 3

So you think that they should obey the laws of the road? Ok, by law, when responding to a call, they don't have to obey the laws of the road. If need be, they can go the wrong way. Just because you didn't see them isn't a proper defense. Cars today are very well acoustically insulated. Along with adreneline from almost dying, you probably didn't hear the siren, even though it was on. BTW, ambulance personnel are always getting chewed out by people like you. But, when we get there, no matter how fast we got there, we are always asked," What took you soo long?" If a kid is in bad shape, I will go all out as fast as I can. So move!

Answer 4

They can take any route that is clear, but with due caution, and that includes driving through red traffic lights.



If he did have the 'blues and twos' on then you are guilty of driving without due care and attention as you should have been aware of his presence.



Driving a lot with children in your car is no excuse for failing to be aware of whats going on outside of the car, I have lost count of the number of times that I've seen drivers just stop in the middle of the road when an emergency vehicle comes up behind them.



My suggestion to you is keep the radio for the kitchen and pay more attention to other road users.

Answer 5

OK, just to set the record straight, I was a volunteer firefighter for more than thirty years; yes, I have been known to drive against the flow of traffic if absolutely necessary to get to the scene. I have been known to go down the Interstate in the wrong direction to get to an emergency if there is no crossover within a reasonable distance.



A good friend on the department was also known to use the "chrome horn" to move a police car blocking our way.



Under normal circumstances, we are supposed to obey all traffic laws, including stop lights and speed limits, even with lights and sirens on; however, circumstances dictate your actions. Yes, we will go over the speed limit within reason, and to go through a red light, PROVIDED we have made damned sure the way is clear; we are liable if we cause an accident if we are violating a traffic law.



Presonally, if it were my life in danger, I'd want the guys to get there by WHATEVER means they deemed necessary.

Answer 6

Yes they are allowed to do that. Whenever there is an emergency vehicle that approaches you, whether it is a fire, ambulance, or police vehicle it is YOUR responsibility as a driver to make sure that you move out of their way, and that they are able to attend the call. They of course do not want to get in an accident with you moving out of their way if you're not able to, but they do prefer you to be able to move out of their way. The only thing I can think of as to why they would go down the wrong way. This would happen if the other direction of traffic was too busy, and they had to get to a call quickly.

Answer 7

As far as I know, yes they are allowed to go round either side of an obstruction, should traffic conditions require. If they're dealing with a life and death situation, then going the wrong way round a traffic island to avoid a queue of traffic is fine. You should have been more aware and stopped further back to allow the ambulance through.

Answer 8

Lots of wrong answers: In the UK, emergency vehicle drivers do so at their own risk: They can break the speed limit, but can still be prosecuted if they are found not to have be justified in doing so.

They can treat red lights as a 'give way', but any accident ensuing is the responsibility of the emergency services driver.

And yes, if they think it's safe, and if they consider it may save time & therefore possibly lives, they can go round a roundabout the wrong way, but if the ambulance had hit you, the driver of that ambulance would have been at fault.

Answer 9

if there is a blockage preventing them from being able to drive the correct side of the road, or go the correct way round a roundabout etc then providing it is well judged and they're doing it safely then emergancy vehicles are allowed to perform all that when in an emergancy providing they do it as carefully and well thought through as possible, its the same with speed limits, traffic lights and so forth

on cop programmes like road wars whenever they're in a persuit you will happen to so often notice the police car taking risky measures to catch up but they do it within a strict code of safety for other users of the road (members of the public)

Answer 10

All emergency vehicle drivers must obey the laws of the road, even under blue light conditions. They may however break the speed limit and carry out SAFE things that may be illegal. If they do break any laws and they cause an accident the driver would be fully responsible and would be prosecuted.

The rule is ' DRIVE TO ARRIVE'

If the ambulance went the wrong way round a roundabout then the driver deserves to be prosecuted, this in my mind is not safe.

Answer 11

Lights and Sirens going, they are on a emergency run and YOU are supposed to pull over to the side and STOP! You are not supposed to keep going and attempt to collide with them! What are you? Deaf and blind? If you can't follow the rules of the road and drive safely sell your car and take public transportation.



How about you LEARN the rules of the road before you kill someone.

Answer 12

So you didn't see or hear an emergency vehicle which had its lights and sirens going?



In the eyes of the law, that's what's known as "Driving without due care and attention"



It's not the ambulance driver's fault that you weren't keeping an eye on the road, is it?

Answer 13

In California an ambulance is an emergency vehicle and have all the right of way rights of the police or fire Department when lights and sirens are flashing. The law here is to pull as far out of the way as possible, if you are unable to clear the way then you are to stop. There are no exceptions. Failure to do so might result in the death of the person in the ambulance.

Answer 14

I don't know the specific laws where you live, but normally, emergency vehicles have the right of way and are allowed to do what they have to do to get to where the emergency makes them go. If this requires crossing the lane into the oncoming traffic, that is allowed if justified by the nature of the emergency and the circumstances that obliged that move.

Answer 15

NO..they are not and any answer that tells you they are is wrong.



They are obliged to follow all traffic laws regardless of being on a emergency call, they are also obliged to take due care for the safety of other road users and pedestrians. So while they may do things that people don't normally do to get somewhere in a hurry they are responsible for whatever it is that they do.



It is true of course that they don't get into trouble for speeding and that sort of thing, but that's because such rules simply don't get applied after the event for obvious reasons.



If however one of them causes an accident or injures a person then they are just as liable for that as you or I would be regardless of them being on an emergency call.



If the ambulance had hit you as a result of traveling the wrong way round an island then you would have had a claim against them.



For proof look to the police officer who has just been gaoled for killing a girl while speeding with lights and siren on......it made no difference, he was still held liable for killing the girl because it was judged that emergency or not his driving was reckless.

Answer 16

Hi, No they are not allowed to go against the flow of traffic, they are supposed to still follow the rules of the road, i know they are going to save lives and i have every admiration for them but we are only supposed to move out of the way when it is safe to do so. If an accident had occured this morning the driver would have been in for the high jump, thank goodness you are Ok,

Answer 17

My brother once gave me a marvellous piece of advice. Always give way and let the Fire Brigade and Ambulances through. The police on the other hand never give way to, as they are the enemy. And probably on their way to Pizza Hut.

The emergency services can do this manoevre so long as it is safe to do so, and they make good progress.

Answer 18

arent you lucky you avoided the collision?? well done, let that be a warning to everyone to have eyes on the back & sides of our heads whilst driving....i know i'll be doing extra looking!!! I dont know whether or not the ambulance should have done that or not, i assume you were goin around a round-a-bout? check it out with the DVLA im assuming by you looking to the right you are drving in the UK?

Answer 19

Lot's of answers conflicting info, so to clarify I suggest you contact your local police where you live as laws do vary from country to country, but your / our ignorance of the law is not an acceptable excuse, any where.

Answer 20

An emergency vehicle driver really doesn't have the right of way to go through an intersection against a red light or drive as though he owns the roads but instead he's actually only asking permission, which other drivers should give him but many don't.

Answer 21

This is how it is: they can do whatever they want. That's why they have a siren, it's supposed to alert you to stop on the side of the road. You have to get out of their way whether it's your lane or not, they have the rightaway

Answer 22

YES they are. If the ambulance had hit you YOU would have been responsible for the repairs to the Ambulance - as you would have been driving with undue care and attention.

Answer 23

Yes they are allowed and if you are ever in need of one you will be happy for them to do what they need to to get to you as soon as possible.

Roundabouts are generally places where vehicles move slowly and so any accident would be minor anyway.

Answer 24

they are allow to go any way any where is why your to move out of way when you see them coming so they can get where they going you know they trying to save a life really how does one not see one or even yet hear it

Answer 25

yes they are allowed,and also the fire brigade if they cant get through a road for all the parked cars they are allowed to drive down the road and knock into all the parked cars,amazing isnt it.

Answer 26

Yes, surely you heard their siren.

Answer 27

no they are not, they have to obey the road like you and me

when on blues the can go over the speed limit and go through

lights at red with caution, if got number report the driver

Answer 28

By island, I assume you mean a circle or round-about? That tells me you aren't from the USA. I'm not familar with laws in your country (wherever that is), but they cannot do that here.

Answer 29

No i dont think they are!