Chapter 1. Approaching the scene
Heading to the scene
• The Road Traffic Act allows certain exemptions to drivers of emergency vehicles who may:
• Exceed the statutory speed limit by 20 mph
• Treat red traffic lights as give-way indicators
• Pass on the off-side of a keep left sign
• Turn right where this is not normally permitted
• Use a bus lane
• Stop and park on clear ways
• Stop and park on a pedestrian crossing and its controlled area
• Park on double yellow lines
• Drivers of emergency vehicles are specifically NOT ALLOWED to:
• Park dangerously
• Drive without reasonable care and attention for other road users
• Ignore one-way signs
• Ignore stop signs
• Go the wrong way round a roundabout
• Cross double white lines
• Fail to stop after an accident
• Fail to provide information after being involved in an accident
• Ignore directions from police officers
• The public road user may react in a variety of ways to an approaching ambulance:
• Sudden braking
• Sudden changing of lane
• Failure to give-way
• There should be a 2 second gap between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
• Lights and sirens provide no legal protection in the event of an accident.
Accidents while driving
• Ambulance personnel have the same duties as the general public under the Road Traffic Act if involved in an accident, regardless of whether they are responding to an emergency call or not
• This Act requires that the driver stops and provides to persons having reasonable grounds for requesting it, the following information:
1. Name and address
2. Name and address of the owner of the vehicle
3. Registration number of the vehicle
4. Insurance certificate
• If this information cannot be provided, then the accident must be reported to a police officer as soon as possible and within 24 hours
• An NHS Traffic Accident Report form should be completed
• DO NOT accept liability for an accident; the circumstances will be established by investigation.
Parking at the scene
• Double-parking may be unavoidable, which may obstruct the flow of traffic – hazard lights or beacons are then used at the driver’s discretion
• When an ambulance is the first or only emergency vehicle to arrive at the scene of a road traffic accident, the vehicle is parked in the fend-off or in-line position to protect the incident
• If the ambulance is left unattended it should be locked.
Immediate-care doctors
A green beacon identifies a registered medical practitioner – sirens can only be used by doctors with the approval of the county’s Chief Police Officer after the completion of appropriate training.
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