There's a lot to be said for emergency services. Sure, everybody is nervous when the Police appears behind them in traffic - especially if they are in uninsured / untaxed / stolen cars - but the boys in blue might be on their way to save somebody's life, stop a robbery, arrest a rapist, or do other valiant Police-type-things. Fire and ambulance services are even easier to defend: When they are rushing forward, sirens a-blazing, lights a-strobing, you know there are lives at stake, and getting out of the way is the only way forward.
What to do with blues and twos?
Deciding on what to do when you hear an emergency vehicle approaching can be a dilemma, however. Do you stay where you are and potentially block the progress of an emergency vehicle? Or do you move into a position that may put you or other road users at risk?
Unfortunately, some drivers over-react to emergency service vehicles travelling on "blues and twos" (blue lights and two-tone horns). This is often because they don't hear or see the emergency vehicle until it is very close, and then take drastic action to get out of the way. To be fair, if this ever happens to you, you've already made a mistake, by either listening to music too loud, failing to be aware of what's going on around you in traffic, or a bit of both.
Don't just panic and brake. It's natural to want to react. But instinctively putting your brakes on immediately in front of an emergency vehicle doesn't help: it slows the progress of the emergency vehicle and jeopardises other road users - including the emergency vehicle itself.
Stay safe above else
Think about where you are on the road. You should deal with the problem in the same way that you deal with any other potentially hazardous driving situation. Observe and plan: what is the safest option available to you? The rule of the thumb is that You must sacrifice everything for safety, but never sacrifice safety for anything else - not even facilitating the progress of the emergency service vehicle.
Don't cross red traffic lights or speed to get out of the way. The emergency driver has training and legal exemptions that you don't have. Bus lanes and box junctions can be problems too, but let them resolve to break the law - not you.
If you are moving it may well be that you can continue at a reasonable pace and the emergency vehicle can follow you out of a pocket of congestion (such as a blocked one way system). In that scenario, attempting to pull over too soon, or slow down, might just cause a needless obstruction and so hamper the progress of the emergency vehicle.
Indicate your intentions clearly. Don't pull in opposite other obstructions, such as centre bollards. If you are thinking about pulling over across a junction or outside a school or factory, you may be unwittingly preventing the emergency vehicle reaching its destination. And do think about where you are asking the emergency driver to overtake you - on the brow of a hill or a blind bend can be placing him or her in a very difficult position.
Mistakes cause accidents. Stay cool.
Be aware that emergency services make people nervous. This is especially true for Police, but other blue flashing lights can have similar effects. Nervous drivers make mistakes, and mistakes cause accidents, so be extra alert of the traffic situation around you.
Finally, make sure you don't follow the emergency vehicle in the wake it creates. It's illegal, dangerous, and wrong.
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