Unlawful Breach of Right-of-Way for Emergency Vehicles
The Guyana Police Force Traffic Department is issuing a crucial reminder to all motorists regarding the legal obligations to yield to emergency vehicles, including those from the Guyana Fire Service, Police, and Ambulance Services. It is both unlawful and dangerous to fail to give way when these vehicles are responding to emergencies and utilizing sirens or warning lights.
According to Section 4 (1)–(3) of the Road Traffic (Guyana Fire Service) Order under the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act 51:02:
Drivers must pull over and stop as near as possible to the left side of the road and remain stationary when an emergency vehicle approaches. This is especially important during nighttime hours, where drivers should dim their headlights until the emergency vehicle has passed.
On dual carriageways, vehicles must stop on both sides of the roadway when an emergency vehicle is approaching and remain stationary until it has fully passed.
No vehicle is allowed to follow or trail behind an emergency vehicle after it has passed. This practice is illegal and obstructs essential emergency operations.
The Traffic Department has noted a troubling trend where drivers deliberately follow closely behind emergency vehicles to navigate around traffic congestion. This behavior:
Endangers road safety
Interferes with emergency response efforts
Violates road traffic laws, putting all road users at risk
Can lead to arrests for failing to give right-of-way, resulting in prosecution and potential suspension of driver’s licenses.
The Department urges all drivers to remain vigilant and yield immediately to approaching emergency vehicles by safely pulling to the left or near side of the road. Drivers should not attempt to follow emergency vehicles once they have passed and should avoid any actions that may obstruct access routes for these critical services.
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