go through a red light to let an emergency vehicle go.

80j2lc5y7u6qs9

I was reading you are not allowed to go through a red light to let an emergency vehicle go. What would you do


I once drove through a red light as i was first in the queue and was the only one blocking the fire brigade. I made sure no one was around and drove up on the path after the light.Then when it passed i did not go forward any more until the light changed, I saw other traffic beginning to move. I was expecting aknock at the door but it did not come


What would have happened if i was prosecuted? Is there no common sense get out in such a situation


Also i read that if lights are stuck on red you can go carefully. How long should you wait before knowing the lights were stuck



This is just a curiosity based on what i read

Claw Hammer

Kylan Enough Bow wrote: »

I was reading you are not allowed to go through a red light to let an emergency vehicle go. What would you do


I once drove through a red light as i was first in the queue and was the only one blocking the fire brigade. I made sure no one was around and drove up on the path after the light.Then when it passed i did not go forward any more until the light changed, I saw other traffic beginning to move. I was expecting aknock at the door but it did not come


What would have happened if i was prosecuted? Is there no common sense get out in such a situation


Also i read that if lights are stuck on red you can go carefully. How long should you wait before knowing the lights were stuck



This is just a curiosity based on what i read

There is a defence available in criminal cases of "duress of circumstances". In the circumstances where it was necessary for you to go through the red light in order to facilitate an emergency vehicle, it is most likely that such a defence would be successful. It would be a very obtuse guard who would bring a charge and an even more obtuse judge would convict. In most cases a guard bringing such a charge would be heavily criticised by the judge.

Bikerman2019

Claw Hammer wrote: »

There is a defence available in criminal cases of "duress of circumstances". In the circumstances where it was necessary for you to go through the red light in order to facilitate an emergency vehicle, it is most likely that such a defence would be successful. It would be a very obtuse guard who would bring a charge and an even more obtuse judge would convict. In most cases a guard bringing such a charge would be heavily criticised by the judge.

Completely agree. A garda wouldn't be concerned with you facilitating an emergency vehicle unless what you did was down right dangerous.

GM228

Claw Hammer wrote: »

There is a defence available in criminal cases of "duress of circumstances". In the circumstances where it was necessary for you to go through the red light in order to facilitate an emergency vehicle, it is most likely that such a defence would be successful. It would be a very obtuse guard who would bring a charge and an even more obtuse judge would convict. In most cases a guard bringing such a charge would be heavily criticised by the judge.

I think you mean the defence of necessity, or the defence of duress, not duress of circumstances which is an English defence not recognised in this jurisdiction, however, for both defences there must be a valid threat towards the person in order to invoke such a defence, the reality is such an excuse of moving for an emergency services vehicle will be accepted, however, it would not be based on the above defences because such defences are narrowly applied.

XVII

Rules of the road, page 167

Never ever:
Break a red light or speed to allow emergency service vehicles to pass
you unless you’re directed to do so by the Gardaí or emergency service
personnel.

I'm sure if emergency vehicle driver is beeping and flashing lights specifically at you when you are not moving, it could be interpreted as the part in bold?

Sleeper12

Bikerman2019 wrote:

Completely agree. A garda wouldn't be concerned with you facilitating an emergency vehicle unless what you did was down right dangerous.

Agreed
Gardai would expect you to do the same thing (safely) if they needed to get past you in a hurry.

GM228

XVII wrote: »

Rules of the road, page 167


I'm sure if emergency vehicle driver is beeping and flashing lights specifically at you when you are not moving, it could be interpreted as the part in bold?

The thing is, the part in bold is not part of the law, non Gardaí emergency services do not actually have any lawful authority to do such.

gozunda

During a vehicle and trailer test had to an emergency park up in the middle of a roundabout to let an ambulance access. Explained what I was doing to the Driving tester and he passed me.

Nexytus

Don't think any situation would arise where a randomly passing garda would take exception to you moving through the light and take you to court.

A more plausible scenario would be that a traffic accident occurs, either immediately or after the ambulance has moved on but you are still the 'wrong' side of the lights.

In this scenario the other party may try to hold you liable because you contravened a traffic signal and this led to the accident. They could argue that you firstly broke the law and secondly conducted a very reckless act moving out into a junction when the lights were against you. You might say that the free passage of the ambulance might have been a matter of life and death. But I think strictly speaking you wouldn't be covered. You can move aside etc for emergency vehicles but only when safe to do so. You must always weigh the potential consequences of any movement to allow ambulance/firebrigade to proceed.

In reality emergency vehicles are often blocked for short spells in our heavily trafficed streets and this is unavoidable. The drivers themselves would probably tell you to not panic and just wait and allow them to pass you at the first safe opportunity.

80j2lc5y7u6qs9

Thanks for the answers. I made sure it was safe to do so

Del2005

This will be an issue when/if we get red light cameras, fine in the post for doing the right thing will stop a lot of people moving to let emergency services through. In the UK they are fitting permanently on blue lights on the rear window to some police vehicles for when they have the blues and twos on as they can get done for breaking traffic lights if not on a call.

Paulzx

The most important thing to remember when you are allowing emergency services vehicles through is to not panic. Most problems are caused by people either panicking or freezing rather than a driver making a calm, conscious decision to nudge through a red light.

The emergency vehicle has exemptions to certain road traffic laws i.e red lights but this exemption does not extend to dangerous driving. So, a fire engine can break a red light in the course of their duties and subsequently cause a major accident. The driver cannot be prosecuted for breaking the red light but can be prosecuted for dangerous driving. If he breaks the red light it must be safe to do so.

There is no obligation on any road user to concede road space to an emergency vehicle.

The bottom line is that people just need to use cop on. Try and figure out where the emergency vehicle is coming from and where it is going. It's easier with fire engines as due to their size they can be seen from a long way off. Unmarked Garda cars can be extremely difficult to see.

Most of the time space can be created without doing mad manouvers up onto footpaths or tearing through busy junctions.

Don't pull in opposite traffic islands or at the narrowest point in the road. Fire engines weigh 15 ton and can't fit through small gaps! Look for the widest section.

Don't just lamp on the brakes as the fire engine drives up behind you. It takes a fair bit to stop that 15 ton:eek:

If there is a bus lane pull into it. The fire engine prefers to stay on the outside as they will get boxed in the bus lane at the next junction if they come up the inside.

Most importantly where fire engines on blues are concerned always look out for the second and third appliance. People pull over for the first one and presume there are no more but we frequently will be travelling one after the other. The second fire applaince is always at greater risk of crashing because of this.

I've never heard of someone being prosecuted after allowing an emergency vehicle through