This next installation of The Citizen's safer driver series looks at the proper procedures to take when encountering an emergency vehicle.
When you hear sirens, the first thing to do is watch for the flashing lights to see where the vehicle is coming from.
"The idea is to clear a path for the emergency vehicle, and all traffic moving in both directions is required to stop" said RCMP Cst. Lesley Smith.
"Motorists are required to pull over to the right and stop. However, those who are driving in the left lane of a divided highway or one-way street may find clearing the path for the vehicle means pulling over to the left," she said.
"If you happen to be in the middle lane of a one-way street, observe the traffic through your rear view mirror and go with the flow to clear a path. If you can't move to the right, then move to the left and stop.
"Remember to watch for other emergency vehicles that are yet to come."
If you are travelling on a road divided by a meridian and the emergency vehicle is coming in the opposite lane on the other side of the meridian, you may not need to stop.
Emergency vehicles have the right of way in any direction, and if they need to use the lane that is opposite to the direction of traffic, pull over to the right, including the shoulder if necessary, and stop.
If you happen to be stopped in an intersection and you are blocking the the path of an emergency vehicle, you may have to turn the corner to get out of the way.
Do not stop in the middle of a lane. Observe how the traffic is clearing a path for the vehicle and follow suit.
Those who fail to yield to an emergency vehicle by not pulling over can be fined $109 and receive three traffic points under Section 177 of the Motor Vehicle Act.
