How to Give Way to Emergency Vehicles?
3 Answers
Slow down and move to the right to give way until the emergency vehicle has passed, then resume normal driving. Below are the relevant provisions of Article 53 of the "Road Traffic Safety Law": 1. Types: Police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, and engineering rescue vehicles may use sirens and warning lights when performing emergency tasks. 2. Rights: Under the premise of ensuring safety, the aforementioned vehicles are not restricted by driving routes, directions, speeds, or traffic signals, and other vehicles and pedestrians should give way. 3. Precautions: When police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, and engineering rescue vehicles are not performing emergency tasks, they must not use sirens or warning lights and do not enjoy the road priority rights specified in the preceding paragraph. Always give way by moving to the right and slowing down.
When encountering special vehicles like ambulances or fire trucks, my experience is to immediately observe the surroundings and react quickly. Once at an intersection when I heard the siren, I promptly drove my car forward past the stop line and parked it to the right front, clearing the middle lane. If the road is crowded, try to move as close to the sides as possible, and on highways, decisively change to the outermost lane. Remember, never hesitate or suddenly brake hard; maintaining a steady speed while yielding is the safest. Additionally, actively check the rearview mirror to confirm the vehicle has passed, as some inexperienced drivers may panic and block the path instead. Using navigation can provide early alerts for yielding, but the key is to develop an active awareness to yield—after all, saving time for lives is far more important than rushing through a red light.
When encountering emergency vehicles with sirens on the road, I usually make quick judgments about yielding routes. On urban roads with sufficient space, I immediately pull over to the right. On single-lane roads, I look for the shoulder or an open area to stop. In narrow sections like bridges or tunnels, I maintain steady steering, reduce speed, and leave enough space for overtaking. I pay special attention not to block intersections—once I saw a car stopped at a green light get lectured by traffic police about yielding rules. When vehicles are side by side, using turn signals to indicate the yielding direction becomes even more crucial. In short, yielding should be decisive but not reckless; ensuring the safety of both yourself and others is what makes a qualified driver.
