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| Seconds Can Save!
Each year emergency vehicles respond to hundreds of thousands of emergency
calls across Ontario. Whether it is police responding to a robbery, an ambulance
rushing for a heart attack call or one of our fire trucks enroute to save a
family from a house fire, each emergency service has one thing in common; the
need to get there and administer help as fast as possible. Everything we do is
aimed at getting the help people need as quickly and efficiently as possible. We
have special phone numbers (9-1-1) to speed your call to us, vehicles equipped
with lights and sirens to clear traffic so we can get there without being held
up in traffic. But in order for this to work, everyone, including other drivers
and pedestrians need to know their role in order to help us save lives!
Remember... Seconds Can Save!
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| Click the picture above to see a "Seconds
Can Save" public safety announcement. File is 1.2 mb in .wmv format. |
What does the law have to say?
Under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act:
159.- (1) The driver of a vehicle, upon the approach of an
ambulance, fire or police department vehicle or public utility emergency vehicle
upon which a bell or siren is sounding or upon which a lamp located on the roof
of the vehicle is producing ,
shall immediately bring such a vehicle to a standstill,
(a) as near as 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 practicable to the nearest curb or
edge of the roadway and parallel therewith and clear of any intersection.
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NEW!
Announced Thursday, April 3, 2003.
Amendment to the Ontario Highway Traffic Act states that
motorists will now, by law, have to slow down and move to a lane furthest
from the parked emergency vehicle on the side of a road in an attempt to
protect police, ambulance, and firefighters. This will protect emergency
personnel from being hit from behind by approaching vehicles while tending
to emergency calls. The legislation will apply to all stopped vehicles
with flashing red lights, excluding school buses.
Those convicted of disobeying the law will be fined a minimum of $400
and a maximum of $2,000 for a first offence, depending on the seriousness
of the offence. For second and subsequent convictions, the fine is a
minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of $4,000, six months in jail, or both a
fine and jail sentence. All convictions will result in the addition of
three demerit points to a driver's record. The court can also suspend a
motorist's driver's license for up to two years. |
| Heavy Traffic
Motorists quite often refuse to pull to the right and stop because they
are in heavy rush hour traffic. The emergency vehicle then becomes trapped
behind them.
In heavy traffic on an undivided roadway, motorists in both directions must
pull as close to the right hand curb as possible, allowing the emergency
vehicle to proceed through the centre. The law states that traffic in
both directions must pull to the right and stop. When they do,
there is room for the emergency vehicle to pass safely.
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| Turning Left In Front
of Emergency Vehicles
By refusing to abort a left turn, a motorist can obstruct the path of
an emergency vehicle. Some motorists even make left turns across the path
of an emergency vehicle which is coming up from behind in what are
normally the oncoming traffic lanes.
Motorists are obligated by law to check what is behind them before making
a left turn. Left turns must always be aborted in an
emergency vehicle is approaching from behind. The motorist should actually
proceed straight through the intersection, then pull to
the right and stop.
 
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| Blocking an Intersection
Sometimes a motorist does pull to the right but blocks an intersection
in doing so. Or they make a right turn when an emergency vehicle is coming
from behind. The emergency vehicle needs to turn, but is now blocked.
When motorists see an emergency vehicle approaching, the should pull to
the right and stop before they get to the intersection. They do not turn
or go until they are sure all emergency vehicles have passed.
Also, emergency vehicles attempting to make a left turn are frequently
blocked at busy intersections by oncoming motorists who fail to yield.
Traffic in both directions must yield to an emergency vehicle. This is
critical at intersections. Motorists should put to the right and stop
before they get to an intersection--and they must always yield to an
oncoming emergency vehicle making a left turn.
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Right
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| Emergency Vehicles Leaving Their
Stations
Motorists frequently fail to pull to the right and stop for fire trucks
and ambulances that are trying to pull out of their stations. These few
seconds can mean the difference between life and death in the case of an
emergency.
The law requires you to pull to the right and yield to an emergency
vehicle, even before it gets on the road. Be alert. When you see
that a fire vehicle or ambulance is coming out of its station, pull to the
right and stop.
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Divided Roadways/One-Way Traffic
Many times, in rush hour traffic, an emergency vehicle is
blocked on a four-lane divided roadway. Drivers often don't pull over or,
without thinking, pull over and completely block the shoulder. If all the
lanes are blocked, the police car or ambulance can travel down the
shoulder, but fire trucks because of their weight cannot use the
shoulder.
The law states that on a one-way road, motorists can
either pull to the right or left before stopping. Make your decision
quickly, but use common sense. Keep the side open that the emergency
vehicle is traveling on. If the emergency vehicle is a large fire truck,
move to the right if you are in the traveling lane and move to the left if
you are in the passing lane and allow the fire truck to pass down the
middle.
Remember... don't pull clear to the right or left
if that shoulder may be the ambulance or police car's only route. The intent of
the law is to provide a clear path for the emergency vehicle. |
Pedestrians
Pedestrians are also required to get out of the way for
an emergency vehicle. If, as a pedestrian, you are already on the road,
get off the road as soon as possible.
If you are about to cross and you see or
hear an emergency vehicle approaching, don't go on the road --- stay on
the sidewalk until the emergency vehicle has passed.
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