While emergency services are attending accidents and incidents they're asking for the public's help on the streets.(Ronald Quaroni/ paNOW Staff)

By Ronald Quaroni

Flashing Lights

What you should do when you see flashing lights

Apr 12, 2019 | 12:11 PM

What is the right thing to do when you’re in traffic and you see those emergency lights looming in your rear view mirror?

Emergency services in Prince Albert are reminding drivers about the rules of the road when one of their vehicles approaches.

There is a proper procedure to follow, according to Sgt. Travis Willie with the Prince Albert Police Service.

“Turn your signal light on letting other motorists know your intentions and when safe to do so pull to the right until the emergency vehicle is past you,” Willie explained to paNOW in an email. “If you are in a situation where you have nowhere to go, don’t panic. Wait until you are able to pull over to the right safely. It allows the emergency personnel to get to their destination as quickly and safely as possible.

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Vehicles that fail to yield to an emergency vehicle can face a $125 fine.

In a demonstration ride with Lyle Karasiuk, director of public affairs with Parkland Ambulance, paNOW captured video showing an example of an emergency vehicle finding lanes of traffic with the least amount of resistance.

Karasiuk said motorists failing to yield to emergency vehicles is a common occurrence in any city, but added in the majority of their call-outs, motorists in Prince Albert do the right thing.

In another video taken through the wind shield of the Parkland Ambulance vehicle, local motorists waiting to turn left at a busy intersection handled the situation well by gradually pulling to the right when safe to do so, and not darting into traffic.

Karasiuk said it’s also important to slow down on the highway when approached by an emergency vehicle with its flashing lights on.

“Most people will pull to the right, onto the shoulder, but they leave their cruise control on so they’re still travelling at 100-105 km/h,” Karasiuk said. “We want them to pull over and gradually start to slow down and if they can, come to a complete stop.”

Karasiuk said drivers should slow down to 60 km/h when passing by a pulled over emergency vehicle.

“It’s certainly a concern for our paramedics all the time, we want to get home safely at the end of the day,” Karasiuk said.

Passing an emergency vehicle at speeds greater than 60 km/h can result in a $210 fine.

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ron.quaroni@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @Ronald Quaroni