The ACT’s road rules are to be changed from this Saturday (14 April) to require drivers passing roadside emergency vehicles with flashing lights to slow to 40 km/h.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Mick Gentleman and Minister for Road Safety, Shane Rattenbury announced the new rule jointly, saying it would improve safety for emergency responders.
“Our emergency services are often required to work on or near the road, protecting the community when we are most vulnerable,” Mr Gentleman said.
“For an emergency services worker, this is their workspace and they have a right to feel safe in their working environment.”
Mr Rattenbury said the new regulation would ensure emergency workers were protected by the ACT’s road transport regulations.
“Incidents on our roads place first responders at a high risk of being struck by passing vehicles or debris,” Mr Rattenbury said.
“It’s important for all road users to share the road with emergency services workers in a way that allows them to do their job safely.”
He said the new law was consistent with existing speed restrictions in place in other areas where vulnerable road users were commonly found, such as school zones, around road works and in town centres.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to remind motorists not to ‘rubber neck’ around areas where emergency services are working as this only increases the danger in these environments,” Mr Rattenbury said.
He said the requirement to slow down would not apply where the emergency vehicle is parked on the opposite side of a road divided by a median strip.
The infringement notice penalty for the offence will be $257 and two demerit points, which is consistent with the penalty for other offences in which a vulnerable road user is put at risk.
