are ambulances exempted from traffic rules?
By Cutie18f
@Cutie18f (9551)
Philippines
June 20, 2010 3:46am CST
I witnessed an accident this afternoon involving an ambulance which collided against a car. The ambulance was obviously rushing a patient to the hospital but in doing so had created another problem by almost killing another person driving his car. I actually saw the collision but I could not say which one was at fault. The car driver was just taking his time driving when this speeding vehicle, the ambulance, while trying to save a life, rammed against his car.
I find it quite ironic that ambulances, while trying to save a life, many times end up killing innocent people in the process of transporting the patient to the hospital. This happened several times in our place. A husband and wife on a motorcycle died on the spot when the motorcycle they were riding was rammed by a speeding ambulance. One time the vehicle we were riding almost crashed against an ambulance which unexpectedly entered a one-way road.
I heard that ambulances are free to pass anywhere they want if only to save lives. They may break traffic rules for the sake of saving lives. Is this true? Personally, I still think that ambulance drivers should still be made liable for every accidents they cause. What do you think?
2 people like this
23 responses
@TheAdvocate (2392)
• Philippines
20 Jun 10
There's a rule that all vehicles should stop and give way to an ambulance once it hears the siren. You have to pull aside to the right and let the ambulance pass. Didn't the drivers in your area hear the siren? I think its an international rule that ambulance drivers are not bound by traffic rules because it is trying to save lives. It is in fact the ordinary motorists' duty to help an ambulance by letting it pass.
Unfortunately, here in the Philippines, motorists would trail a rushing ambulance since they could weave in and out of traffic. That's very dangerous too. But there are ambulance drivers here who would sound the siren even if there are no victims inside which really irks motorists. Personally, I give them the benefit of the doubt as they might be on the way to save a life.
3 people like this
@consultrainer (4991)
• India
20 Jun 10
thanks for the clarification. hope we all follow some rules.. to save our lives.. may be, it is one of our brothers ... inside the ambulance.
it is also a dirty practice to follow after the ambulance, just to clear the rush traffic, taking advantage of the situation... it happens in INDIA tooo.
2 people like this
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
20 Jun 10
Ambulances are exempt whenever they have their lights on. Other people are supposed to see and hear those sirens and get out of the way. I know that if I were in an ambulance I wouldn't want to be delayed because some idiot won't get out of the way. Sh*t happens sometimes and it sucks for the couple who got killed, but why didn't they get out of the road?
2 people like this
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
21 Jun 10
Ok, so maybe they didn't hear it; why didn't they see it?
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
21 Jun 10
Drivers of other vehicles are expected to give way to Emergency vehicles like fire Engines nd Ambulances when they are under way with lights and Sirens going..at the Same time,their drivers are expected to drive safely under the road conditions to get to where they're going to save lives! Was anyone hurt in the struck vehicle? It sounds like the Ambulance Driver expected this car to give way,and was proven wrong...
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
21 Jun 10
I don't think driving the wrong way up a one way street on the way to a hospital is in anyones best interests,but I could see maybe a fire Engine doing this to get to a burning building if the road had been blocked off..
1 person likes this
@consultrainer (4991)
• India
20 Jun 10
it is sad to know about the accident. whenever one listens to the siren of an ambulance or police van, or a fire truck... it should be the other driver's problem.. to stop, and slow down, and get into a slow-lane.
i also heard that ambulances don't need to follow traffic rules.. alas. there is no proper awareness in this speeding world.
2 people like this
@cortney09 (1345)
• United States
22 Jun 10
There is a law that state you have to move over and out of the way of an ambulance transporting a patient. And a lot of times people don't do this and that's what causes the accidents. People seem to think that those laws don't apply to them. I think if people followed the laws then things like accidents probably wouldn't happen.
1 person likes this
@mardon5 (4)
• United States
22 Jun 10
It is true ambulances can break the rules to save lives. However, if a driver causes injury to another individual in the process of transporting someone else to the hospital they should be responsible for their actions. All states do not hold county or state employees liable for causing injury to a third party. In the state I live in both the agency and the employee are liable in many such cases, although I don't know of any report of an ambulance driver killing a driver or pedestrian while transporting a patient. It may be an uncommon occurance but it could happen. Most drives are aware of the consequences of not using sound judgment.
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
21 Jun 10
Yes its true at least in places where I’ve seen ambulances rushing. They have some safety measures, like the horns are blazing with a typical sound that can be heard over quite a distance so that all other drivers in the vicinity will know that an ambulance is coming and they can slow down or keep the road clear…also ambulances have their names written in bold red and in reverse in the front so that drivers in front can always see the ambulance coming thru their rear mirror…ambulances always mean emergency, so general rules should not apply to them. I haven’t seen any accidents caused by rushing ambulances mainly coz like I said, other drives voluntarily move out of their way…the same rules apply for rushing fire-engines.
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
21 Jun 10
If they are being negligent then yes, they should be held liable I would think. I do know that traffic laws don't apply to them. In the case of the guy taking his time...by law, all cars are supposed to pull over at the sound of the ambulance. On a one way street then I would have to think that was entirely the ambulances fault. I don't think they can go the wrong way on a one way road.
1 person likes this
@jdyrj777 (6530)
• United States
21 Jun 10
If the ambulance was rushing someone to the hospital the sirenes and lights should have been on. That should have been enogh warning for anyone to pull over to the right and get out of the way of an emergency. I would say the other car was at fault. Especially in the case of an emergency.
What i have noticed around here and it really angers me. Any emengency vehicle with siren and lights on, ALL DRIVERS ARE SUPPOSE TO PULL OVER TO THE RIGHT!!! At least thats what it said when i took my driving test. Here i do not and will never understand. They just freeze in place instaed of pulling over. HELLO!!! I have seen emergency vehicles needing to honk at these illerate driver to get out of their way. Meanwhile somebody could be dieing in the back of the ambulance. Somebody could die because somebody froze in place instead of pulling over like the driving test say to do.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
21 Jun 10
here in the USA, the other vehicles or any are supposed to pull over out of the way. so this seldom happens unless someone doesnt hear their siren. and if they cant hear anything they should have something in their car to flash for that or not be driving. 
so i dont think it happens very often.
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
21 Jun 10
Hi Cutie~ It is very sad, but it is true. An ambulance always
has the "right of way"! All vehicles MUST yield to the ambulance,
police and fire trucks because that is the law! And I have also
heard of some unfortunate and serious accidents that have also
occurred when a vehicle couldn't get out of the way fast enough!
And there have been deaths, but the Emergency Vehicles are
in the right! They have lights flashing, sirens blaring so you
know you must get out of the way! I have even heard of police
cars getting hit trying to get out of the way of a speeding
ambulance or fire truck! But, those are the rules! The Emergency
Vehicles are only trying to save lives and unfortunately while
doing so they end up taking some in the line of duty! How sad
is that?
1 person likes this
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
22 Jun 10
Here in Australia, it is law that you have to give way to an ambulance no matter where they are in the traffic. If they are coming up behind you, you must pull over to allow them to pass. If you are at an intersection where you would normally have right of way, you must let the ambulance go first. The same applies at red lights. Even if you are facing a green light and the ambulance has a red one, you must stop to let the ambulance go first.
I have never witnessed any accidents involving ambulances as people are usually pretty good at getting out of their way. I am assuming though if there was an accident, then the ambulance would not be at fault as they always have right of way.
@ying_yang (56)
• Philippines
21 Jun 10
for me, they should be liable still with those accidents if they are on the wrong way. they should also follow the law. but there also instances that i observe that some of motorists are not also doing their part, like they know that there is an ambulance behind them but still not paying attention and don't give way to the ambulance. so sad, everybody should do their part.
@pinoyblogger (397)
• Philippines
21 Jun 10
ambulances are exempted from traffic rule especially when the siren is on. It is the driver's responsibility to give way for the ambulance to pass.
1 person likes this
@annjilena (5618)
• United States
20 Jun 10
i think sometime they have to break the rules.iam sure they sometimes have accidents however they are only human, trying to do a job.i don.t think they are exempt from the ptesser of life.
1 person likes this
@med889 (5941)
•
20 Jun 10
Yes they are free to go even if the traffic lights are red but sometimes I think they are too busy and in too much rush to save a life in the van that they are indifferent if they can kill someone else with their negligence. I think all that should be done is to make them aware that they are here to save life as best as they can but not to take another life for the sake of saving another.
1 person likes this
@eileenleyva (27560)
• Philippines
20 Jun 10
Yes, Cutie, ambulances are exempted from the ordinary road rules and regulations. With or without passengers, they must be given a pass by the ordinary motorists. The sirens are loud enough for all to know that emergency is at hand, that a life is at stake. The left most lane is the speed lane. Motorists must clear this lane for the ambulance by slowly moving to the right and stop if necessary.
Ambulances getting involved in accidents are really ironic. That is why ambulance drivers must be pros. But motorists must also learn to give way.
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
20 Jun 10
I think in large cities that ambulances are exempt from traffic rules. In smaller cities and towns, if this is not the case, it should be. Emegency vechicles such as ambulances need to hurry to their destinations. Time may be a factor in saving a life.
1 person likes this
