You could be fined £1,000 for making the wrong move to let an ambulance pass

It’s common courtesy to pull over when a flashing emergency vehicle is heading toward you, but did you know the rules of the road still apply and you could be punished for doing so illegally?

If you perform an illegal manoeuvre to make way for an ambulance or fire engine, i.e- driving the wrong way down a one-way street, you can still be fined. Likewise, if you pull over at a bus stop, you could face a penalty of up to £1,000.

Many road users are under the misconception that an approaching emergency vehicle means they are allowed to move in any direction without consequence. This is categorically false, you can be slapped with a hefty fine if you do not obey the highway code. 

The Highway Code's instructions are: "You should look and listen for ambulances, fire engines, police, doctors or other emergency vehicles using flashing blue, red or green lights and sirens, or flashing headlights, or traffic officer and incident support vehicles using flashing amber lights."

Be that as it may, you are only permitted to pull over where it is safe and legal to do so. This rule may seem odd and somewhat contradictory, but it is very strict and follows in a similar vein to other rules of the road. Such as excessive horn honking, if you honk too loud to the point where it is deemed a distraction for other road users, you can be fined up to £30. 

Here at Eurofit, we’ve got your back, stay aware of the rules and avoid unnecessary payouts. Check out this article here on car modifications you didn’t know could land you in trouble.