How important are emergency lanes? Well no one realizes it, at least not in Pakistan. We are in real need of emergency lanes in today’s world. People are so lost they don`t even give a damn to the loud sirens anymore. I guess they have forgotten the meaning of humanity. The ambulances, fire brigades all get stuck behind traffic jams.
You can clearly see the negligence of these people. Its like they are waiting for some one to tell them to “please move sir. A life is at risk.” I have also seen people who get out of their cars and tell people to move their cars an ambulance is waiting for you to move their vehicles. There are also people who only see a glimpse of an ambulance and they give way. So we should realize its our responsibility as a driver to give way to emergency vehicles.
Our government should take notice and build emergency lanes for emergency vehicles. It will be filled by motorcyclists and every other driver on the road but expensive fines must be placed with a bit of jail time to keep them off it.
If an emergency vehicle approaches using flashing blue lights, headlights and/or sirens, follow these tips to help it to get through safely:
- Look and listen.
- Signal your intentions by using your indicators or hand signals.
- Pull in safely and be aware of pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles around you.
- Pull in as far as you can.
- Leave a gap large enough for the emergency vehicle to get through.
- Stay alert – more vehicles may be coming.
- Stay calm.
- If you’re a pedestrian, keep off the road.
All vehicles on both sides of the road must slow down or even stop to leave a clear path, but do not endanger other road users. Don’t stop in the middle of a junction. (If you’re blocking the path of the emergency vehicle, you may have to turn the corner to get out of the way.)
Sadly, here- no one cares….Really hurts.
I pray, no one face this critical situation of being in an ambulance.