Emergency vehicle with flashing lights & siren - this must be observed!

Are emergency vehicles like Police, Fire department or ambulance with blue light and siren / siren (Special signaling system) on the move, drivers and other road users have to tell them to clear the way. But how do you do it correctly, what is allowed and what is not? We'll tell you more about it in this article! As soon as you see an emergency vehicle with a blue light or hear the siren of an emergency vehicle, you are obliged to to clear the way. If you recognize from which direction the emergency vehicle is approaching, then you will either slower or stop at the right side of the road, On no way you are allowed to block the route. If an emergency vehicle comes towards you in a tight spot, you should go to the next avoidance point Weiterfahren and stop there or evade. But don't forget to do a controlled evasive maneuver Blinker. Because when you blink, other road users can also orientate themselves on you.

Penalties threaten when blocking!

If you use the lane for emergency vehicles do not vacateyou are threatened with one fine of at least 240 Euros, and two points in Flensburg and 1 month driving ban. You also endanger human life.

Blue light and siren: In orientate and then act! As soon as drivers hear the siren of an emergency vehicle, the direction from which the emergency vehicle is coming is not always clearly recognizable. If you brake suddenly or become hectic, this can be counterproductive and lead to accidents. Therefore orient yourself first of all. Try to recognize from which direction the emergency vehicle is coming and where it is going. Ideally, you should also pay attention to how many vehicles are coming and how other drivers react. If other drivers are already swerving to the right, it is likely that the emergency vehicle is coming from the left. You can also stop for orientation, if the traffic situation permits.

If the roadway has more than 2 lanes, can also an emergency lane in town are formed. However, it is crucial that you also orientate yourself towards the other road users, because if the emergency vehicle has to zigzag because some drivers form an emergency lane and some do not, then this does not make any sense. The structural requirements also play a role. For example, if there is more space on the right than on the built-up center line, this can also be an influencing factor. Emergency vehicles often use oncoming traffic to move faster. Sometimes it can also make sense to use a lane or accelerate to clear an intersection. However, every reaction has to depend on the traffic situation and local conditions be adjusted.

If the traffic light is red: This is allowed in an emergency

In an emergency, road users are also allowed to follow traffic rules disregard and for example if it is red, go through the traffic lights or drive faster than allowed. But this is true only then if there is otherwise there is no other alternative and if nobody is endangered by it. As soon as there is an alternative, it must be used and the pace must be reduced again immediately.

If you have to drive over a red traffic light in an emergency, this will normally be the case not punished. To be on the safe side, however, you can make notes of the type of emergency vehicle, the organization or, in the best case, the license plate of the emergency vehicle.

Dashcam installed? That can be helpful!

Also the recording with a dashcam can be helpful. If you do get a fine, you can object objection to raise. Since all deployment trips are documented, they can also be used as evidence. As soon as the emergency vehicles are over, however, your attention must not wane. Because when all the cars get back into their positions, full concentration and mutual consideration are also required. In addition, another emergency vehicle could always follow, which again needs space to drive past.

Summary information Blue light & siren - what to do?

• Don't panic if the lights flash!
• Radio turn off and window öffnen to determine from which direction the emergency vehicle is coming
  - 1. Keep an eye out, where does the emergency vehicle come from?
  - 2. Assess / observe (blinker), where do the rescuers want to go?
  - 3. Think about the best way to make room?
• common ways to make space
  - Emergency vehicle from behind? Then, if possible, move to the side of the road
  - Emergency vehicle from the page? Stop immediately, but watch out for other road users
• Dodging is on a bike or footpath allowed, Driving over a red traffic light is allowed if necessary (always with the greatest caution)
• BGA - reaction scheme (applies to drivers who drive in front of the emergency vehicle and road users who are approached by an emergency vehicle)
  - Operate the indicator
  - Reduce speed
  - stopping (if necessary on the side of the road)
• Traffic jam due to an accident on the motorway or on roads with two or more lanes?
  - then a rescue alley should be formed
  - even if no emergency vehicle can be seen yet
  - even if several police, ambulance or fire brigade vehicles have already passed through
  - On roads with two lanes in each direction, the emergency lane should between the two tracks are formed
  - On streets with three or more lanes, the alley should between the left and middle lanes are formed
  - Maintain a sufficient distance from the vehicle in front to enable you to swerve later
• Motorways and multi-lane roads outside built-up areas
  - In the event of an accident or traffic jam, a rescue lane must be kept clear
  - If the autobahn or country road has two lanes, the driver should drive right or left to the edge as quickly as possible in slow traffic in order to create a lane in the middle
  - In the case of three lanes, the rescue lane must be created between the left and the middle lane
  - The rescue lane must be wide enough for an entire fire brigade to pass through, if possible

Overtaking ambulances with flashing lights?

That’s on the autobahn allowed. If an ambulance with flashing lights and a signal horn is in action and drives in the right lane at approx. 120 km / h, the left lane is free and there is no speed limit, then it is permitted to overtake the ambulance in the left lane. But only if it is not hindered by it.

Of course, that wasn't the end of it.

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