ACT Policing and the the Emergency Services Agency are reminding drivers to slow down to 40km/hr when passing stationary or slow-moving emergency vehicles when their blue or red lights were flashing.
The Police’s Acting Superintendent of Traffic Operations, Marcus Boorman said the law was there to provide a safer working environment for emergency services workers on the road or roadside, as well as others present at the scene.
“Drivers are generally obeying the new regulations and slowing down to pass incidents to ensure that emergency service workers get to go home to their families at the end of the day,” Acting Superintendent Boorman said.
“For everyone’s safety, be aware of your surroundings, concentrate when driving, always look ahead and please slow down when approaching emergency services vehicles with their lights flashing.”
Acting Superintendent Boorman said ACT Policing had issued 10 Traffic Infringement Notices and 41 cautions for passing an emergency vehicle too fast since the new laws were introduced.
“The infringement notice penalty for this offence is $257 and two demerit points.”
He said the 40km/h speed limit was adopted to ensure consistency with the speed applied around other vulnerable road users such as those in school zones and at road works.
“If the emergency vehicle is on the other side of a divided road, separated by a median strip, you do not need to slow down,” he said.
Acting Superintendent Boorman said the reminder was part of the joint ACT Road Safety Strategy 2011-2020 which prioritises a Vision Zero approach to road safety.
