Traffic rules are the law for any participant, be it a driver, pedestrian or cyclist. However, even the rules allow for a number of exceptions for certain emergencies.
Traffic regulations allow for a number of exceptions that apply to drivers of special vehicles.
Ability to deviate from the rules for "Ambulance"
Ambulances belong to the category of vehicles, the drivers of which have the right to use special signals that give them an advantage when driving on the road. This possibility is provided for in section 3 of the current Traffic Regulations.
At the same time, however, in order to gain an advantage on the road, the ambulance driver must turn on his existing blue flashing light and a sound signal, which in the common people is often called a siren. In this case, the driver has the right to disregard traffic rules.
At the same time, even in such a situation, there are a number of restrictions for the ambulance driver. First, of course, the use of special signals and deviation from the current traffic rules should be due to an urgent need, for example, when a car is in a hurry to call to a seriously ill patient. Secondly, the driver can deviate from the rules only if he has previously made sure that other road users give way to him, and he does not create an emergency. Finally, some requirements of the rules, for example, the signals of the traffic controller, are obligatory for observance even for an ambulance with a flashing beacon and a sound signal turned on.
Obligations of drivers when an ambulance appears
If the drivers of ordinary vehicles notice an ambulance on the road, which is in a hurry to call, indicating their intentions with the included special signals, they should be guided by paragraph 2 of Section 3 of the Road Traffic Regulations. In particular, this section of the rules instructs them to give way to the approaching ambulance crew in order to ensure that they can freely pass along the chosen trajectory.
In addition, paragraph 3 of this section instructs the driver to be careful when approaching an ambulance that stands on the road with a flashing light and siren on. In this situation, the driver of an ordinary vehicle must slow down so that if the ambulance starts moving, he could immediately clear the way for her or stop.
Thus, in some cases, the ambulance is indeed given the right to legally violate the requirements of traffic rules. And drivers who are forced to give way to her should remember that the crew is in a hurry to help the injured people.
