QUESTION: I am concerned about the delineators that have been added to both sides of 96th Avenue in Langley. I recently witnessed a situation where an emergency vehicle was stuck behind heavy traffic that was unable to pull over to allow the emergency vehicle to pass. What is the point in this? How are the drivers supposed to react under these circumstances?
When there is a fire, we need firefighters to get there as quickly as possible. Literally, seconds count. Once on scene, they need a safe working area so that they can concentrate on saving lives and putting out the fire without having traffic interfere. Our Motor Vehicle Act provides for both situations.
B,C.'s Slow Down, Move Over law came into effect over two decades ago. When an official vehicle is stopped at the side of the highway and displaying flashing lights, red, blue or yellow, approaching traffic is required to slow down and move over. The law is meant to provide a safe workspace for the emergency and roadside workers.
When a crash occurs on multiple laned highways in B.C., drivers tend to stop in the same lane position that they use when driving. This often creates significant difficulties for emergency services, large fire department vehicles in particular, because there is no space for them to drive to the scene. Time lost to making way can come at a significant cost to the victims involved.
The rain is pounding down outside this morning as I sit looking out my livingroom window with tablet and coffee in hand. I'm warm and dry enjoying the idea that being retired means I am no longer on the highway investigating collisions in this weather. Of course, Murphy was listening...
The C.F.S.E.U. was in the news this week, probably not in the way they would have liked. You may have seen the dash cam videos from Richmond showing a number of vehicles apparently brazenly running red lights. The story hit the news amid amazed comments about how bad drivers were becoming in the Lower Mainland.
All freeways in BC appear to have cross over sections that connect the seperated highways. These sections all have do not enter signs on each side. What type of vehicle or driver is permitted to enter these sections of the highway?
Sirens! I'm being overtaken by an ambulance on the way to a call. Signal, move out of the right lane onto the shoulder and stop. Traffic around me seems to be well aware today too as they are doing much the same thing.
Emergency right of way is being granted promptly until the ambulance reaches traffic stopped for a red light at an intersection. This is where the emergency response grinds to a halt as the stationary drivers don't seem to be either willing or able to get out of the way.
When you need the services of firefighters or paramedics seconds can seem like hours. Sooner is always better in situations like this so some traffic lights are equipped with sensors that listen for sirens and change the signals to make way for emergency vehicles. Not knowing what the priority signal lights meant led one driver to make a choice that could have resulted in a collision in a Ladysmith intersection.
A reader was travelling in a major municipality recently and was stopped in a large collection of vehicles waiting for a red light at the intersection of two multiple lane highways. Emergency vehicles using lights and sirens approached from the rear and tried to get through the traffic and the intersection. There was significant difficulty and the reader was curious how far forward vehicles could move into the cross flow of traffic to assist in clearing a path.
QUESTION: I am concerned about the delineators that have been added to both sides of 96th Avenue in Langley. I recently witnessed a situation where an emergency vehicle was stuck behind heavy traffic that was unable to pull over to allow the emergency vehicle to pass. What is the point in this? How are the drivers supposed to react under these circumstances?
When there is a fire, we need firefighters to get there as quickly as possible. Literally, seconds count. Once on scene, they need a safe working area so that they can concentrate on saving lives and putting out the fire without having traffic interfere. Our Motor Vehicle Act provides for both situations.
B,C.'s Slow Down, Move Over law came into effect over two decades ago. When an official vehicle is stopped at the side of the highway and displaying flashing lights, red, blue or yellow, approaching traffic is required to slow down and move over. The law is meant to provide a safe workspace for the emergency and roadside workers.
When a crash occurs on multiple laned highways in B.C., drivers tend to stop in the same lane position that they use when driving. This often creates significant difficulties for emergency services, large fire department vehicles in particular, because there is no space for them to drive to the scene. Time lost to making way can come at a significant cost to the victims involved.
The rain is pounding down outside this morning as I sit looking out my livingroom window with tablet and coffee in hand. I'm warm and dry enjoying the idea that being retired means I am no longer on the highway investigating collisions in this weather. Of course, Murphy was listening...
