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Sections & Units
Our Mission:
"To optimize public safety
in the City of Calgary"
Traffic Section
Traffic Education Unit
What to do When an Emergency Vehicle Approaches
As you drive home in Calgary's rush hour traffic, you notice the lights and sirens of a fast-approaching emergency vehicle are coming up behind you - what do you do?
"Many drivers freeze up behind the wheel and forget their basic driver training," says Constable Mike O'Connor, Traffic Section of the Calgary Police Service. "Drivers need to remember to pull over to the curb and clear a path for the emergency vehicles."
In Calgary's bumper-to-bumper traffic it is more important than ever to help emergency vehicles get to their destinations quickly.
Constable O'Connor has some good advice for drivers. "Treat every emergency vehicle as if it was going to your own house," he says. "You would want the emergency vehicles to have a clear path if you knew they were going to your house or were en route to help someone you know."
He says that even if the police vehicle, fire truck or ambulance isn't directly behind you, it's vital that everyone on the road move over to the curb and stop to accommodate other vehicles pulling over in the lane of the emergency vehicle.
The Calgary Police Service, Calgary Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services have these reminders to help keep our roadways safe and to assist in getting emergency vehicles to their destination as quickly as possible.
Traffic Safety Tips
- Keep music and other noises at a low level so you can hear the emergency vehicle sirens.
- Frequently monitor your rear-view mirror and pay attention to your surroundings while driving.
- If you are stopped for a red light and an emergency vehicle comes up behind you - get out of the way when it is safe to do so. Even if it means deviating from your destination, it will help the emergency vehicle get through the intersection faster.
- It's also important to pull over if an emergency vehicle is coming towards you. This will give extra room for the emergency vehicle to pass if its path is blocked by traffic.
- If you are approaching a green light and hear a siren but don't see an emergency vehicle, slow down and cautiously check all directions before proceeding into the intersection.
- Pedestrians also need to be cautious before crossing on a walk light if they hear sirens or see an emergency vehicle approaching an intersection from any direction.
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