is it against the law not to give way to emergency services when have blue light working?

Question

thought the sevices had to obey highway code. who is at fault if service went through red light and caused a death??

so when the emegancy service goes through a red light and causes an acident with some one being killed who at fault

with modern sirens i have not heard them until they are about 5 ft behind me, not enough time to do any thing about it

Answer 1

You should always give way to the emergency services; all those lights & noises are designed togive us all fair warning of their approach.

Answer 2

In the UK, it is law that other road users give way to emergency vehicles with their blue lights on and/or sirens on.

Emergency drivers have to exercise a reasonable duty of care - in the UK, a red light may be treated as a 'give way' in other words, the emergency driver can proceed through a red light if he can see the way is clear.

In a court of Law in the UK, an emergency driver would be prosecuted if he ran a red light and caused an accident - there have been many cases.

Answer 3

From the Highway code -
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.

Answer 4

In the UK there is an exemption for police, fire and ambulances to exceed speed however they must obide by highway code for traffic lights and proceed through with caution. In the highway code you are meant to give way to emergency vehicles using their audio and visual warning equipment.

Section 87 of the Road Traffic regulations act 1984 states:

No statutory provision imposing a speed limit on motor vehicles shall apply to any vehicle on an occasion when it is being used for fire brigade ( or in england Fire and rescue auth), ambulance or police purposes, if the observance of that provision would be likely to hinder the use of the vehicle for the purpose for which it is being used on that occasion.

In addition Traffic Signs regulations act 2002 refers to make allowances to allow emergency vehicle drivers to pass through red traffic lights under certain circumstances.

if a death occurs then an enquiry would have to be held and of course the emergency service driver if found neglegent would be in serious trouble.. There are stated cases where pedestrians have walked out in front of vehicles whilst they had their two tones etc going and the drivers were found not guilty as they were acting within law.

Answer 5

It was made illegal to obstruct emergency services earlier in the year so yes is the answer.
If you didn't know they were there until they were 5 feet away it could be you need to pay a little more attention to the road that you have been doing.
Plenty of emergency services drivers have been prosecuted for death by dangerous driving and dangerous driving.
You are taught to use a red light as a give way so you don't go until you know its clear and safe.

Answer 6

In the UK, at least, the speed limit does not apply to any vehicle on an occasion when it is being used for fire brigade ( or in England, Fire and Rescue Auth), ambulance or police purposes, if the observance of that limit would be likely to hinder the use of the vehicle for the purpose for which it is being used on that occasion.

In the same way, red lights may be crossed, but are always treated as "Give Way" junctions.

Drivers of emergency vehicles are still expected to drive with due care, and are not absolved from being prosecuted if an accident occurs.

You are expected to give way to an emergency vehicle or at least not hinder it, if you can do so safely and legally.

"Safely" and "legally" are the key words here; you're not expected, f'rinstance to cross a red light yourself, and a lot of drivers have found themselves being ticketed in London for trying to be helpful and pulling into bus lanes to get out of the way. Those cameras have no common sense, unlike the average copper who would understand what you're trying to do.

Last year I moved into the coned-off but completely empty section of a dual carriageway to get out of the way of a police car in a hurry, and the copper went past me at well into three figures, giving me a toot and a thumbs up as he passed. If I'd tried that with a camera-controlled lane I would have had a pleasant little surprise a couple of weeks later.

Answer 7

What country are you in?
In the Uk you are obliged by law to give way to emergancy vehicles, if it is safe to do so.
What this means is that if a car is parked at red lights and drives into the junction to give you room and causes an accident he is to blame. However if the Emergency vehicle drives into the junction by going through a red and a vehicle collides with it, the emergency vehicle is at fault.
Speed limits do not apply to emergency vehicles whilst attending an incident, but If they are speeding and are in an accident then it will be the emg unit to blame.
Hope this makes it a bit clearer for you.

Answer 8

Usually if they have a siren or lights flashing, they are in dire need either to get somewhere or to get someone somewhere fast. You *must* obey all flashing lights and move to the side of the road if you are able. However, in heavy traffic congestion where you can't move, obviously there's nothing you can do but slow down and give the vehicle a chance to pass around you. As for their driving... they are allowed to pass through red lights. Drivers in the cross-way should adhere to sirens/lights if they are seen.

Answer 9

It's not against the law, but it's foolish not to give way. They do have to obey Road Traffic Acts. The driver of the vehicle is responsible if they went through a red light and killed somebody.

Answer 10

Yes, as far as I am aware the emergency services do have to obay the highway code. as with any vehicle going through a red light it is that vehicles fault if it results in an accident.

Answer 11

Drivers of emergency vehicles have to obey the law, same as anyone else.

However, they're given *licence* to break the speed limit, go through red lights, etc., *if* they can do so without causing any danger. If they cause an accident, they get nicked - simple as that.

You should give way to them, but obviously sometimes you can't. You just do what you can. No emergency driver expects you to do anything dangerous or illegal just so they can get through.