You adjust the radio looking for a station that is playing a favorite song, maybe a business report or a game.
So far you have had no such luck.
You look up and traffic has started to move you are still distracted and continue checking the stations. You look outside and notice a few cars have begun to move into other lanes, most of the vehicles are moving to the right, a few are just stopping where they are and other vehicles are moving to the left.
You begin to look around and then you see an emergency vehicle attempting to get through traffic, the lights are on but you don't hear the siren, your windows are up. The emergency vehicle is directly behind you.
You panic you don't know what to do.
This is a problem that first responders face every single day, a driver who doesn't know what to do.
Move over.... Protect us all!
New vehicles have noise reduction capabilities that make the inside of a vehicle virtually silent despite any noise outside a vehicle. Advances in materials and design have isolated vehicles operators from their environment.
The "sudden" appearance of an emergency vehicle startles the driver and they panic and in a lot of cases stop their vehicle in a lane or a position that blocks the emergency vehicles' path.
The end result is a delay that causes first responders to take seconds or even minutes longer to respond to emergency calls.
The Ontario Highway Traffic Act clearly defines the responsibility of a driver on the roads of Ontario.
Approaching, following emergency vehicles
Stop on approach of vehicle with flashing lights or bell or siren sounding
159. (1) The driver of a vehicle, upon the approach of a police department vehicle with its bell or siren sounding or with its lamp producing intermittent flashes of red light or red and blue light, or upon the approach of an ambulance, fire department vehicle or public utility emergency vehicle with its bell or siren sounding or its lamp producing intermittent flashes of red light, shall immediately bring such vehicle to a standstill,
(a) as near as is practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway and parallel therewith and clear of any intersection; or
(b) when on a roadway having more than two lanes for traffic and designated for the use of one-way traffic, as near as is practicable to the nearest curb or edge of the roadway and parallel therewith and clear of any intersection. 2009, c. 5, s. 49.
Slow down on approaching stopped emergency vehicle
(2) Upon approaching an emergency vehicle with its lamp producing intermittent flashes of red light or red and blue light that is stopped on a highway, the driver of a vehicle travelling on the same side of the highway shall slow down and proceed with caution, having due regard for traffic on and the conditions of the highway and the weather, to ensure that the driver does not collide with the emergency vehicle or endanger any person outside of the emergency vehicle. 2009, c. 5, s. 49.
(3) Upon approaching an emergency vehicle with its lamp producing intermittent flashes of red light or red and blue light that is stopped on a highway with two or more lanes of traffic on the same side of the highway as the side on which the emergency vehicle is stopped, the driver of a vehicle travelling in the same lane that the emergency vehicle is stopped in or in a lane that is adjacent to the emergency vehicle, in addition to slowing down and proceeding with caution as required by subsection (2), shall move into another lane if the movement can be made in safety. 2009, c. 5, s. 49.
So the emergency vehicle goes past your vehicle and you decide to follow the vehicle. What can it hurt, if you follow the vehicle you will probably get to your destination faster.
Following fire department vehicle
(4) No driver of a vehicle shall follow in any lane of a roadway at a distance of less than 150 metres a fire department vehicle responding to an alarm. 2009, c. 5, s. 49.
(5) Nothing in subsection (2) or (3) prevents a driver from stopping his or her vehicle and not passing the stopped emergency vehicle if stopping can be done in safety and is not otherwise prohibited by law. 2009, c. 5, s. 49.
(6) Every person who contravenes subsection (1), (2), (3) or (4) is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable,
(a) for a first offence, to a fine of not less than $400 and not more than $2,000; and
(b) for each subsequent offence, to a fine of not less than $1,000 and not more than $4,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than six months, or to both. 2009, c. 5, s. 49.
Every driver must be aware of their surroundings at all times, when drivers are distracted they don't realize the effect that their distraction has on other individuals, the few seconds or minutes that are lost could cost someone their life.
That someone could be a person that you know!
Be aware as a road user, and pay attention to the things that are happening around you.
By watching this video you could save someones life.
You could save someone's life!!!
