Posted:
Halifax Regional Police is reminding motorists to slow down and move over when they see an emergency vehicle with its lights flashing.
The roadside is often the workplace for many emergency and public safety workers. To help create a safe space, you must slow down and move over if you see an emergency/public safety vehicle pulled over with its lights flashing. If you’re on a road with two or more lanes in your direction, you must move into another lane farther away from the stopped vehicle if you can do so safely. If you can’t move over, or if there is only one lane, you must slow down to 60 km/h or obey the speed limit if it’s lower than 60 km/h. You don’t need to slow down or move over if the vehicle is on the other side of the median on a divided highway.
Every second is critical when an emergency vehicle is responding to a call. Emergency vehicles using flashing lights and sirens have the right of way. As soon as you see the flashing lights approaching you from ahead or behind or hear the siren, move over to the right edge or curb of the road and stop completely. You must remain stopped until the emergency vehicle has passed or until a police officer directs you to move.
More information on moving over for emergency vehicles is available at https://novascotia.ca/slowdownmoveover/