Blue Light Policy of Findley's Driving School
Our Blue Light Policy
The Blue Light Policy controls what we do when emergency service vehicles display their blue lights
Blue light policy - Safety on the road is obviously a fundamental part of the course. All of the procedures, which you are going to be taught, are based around the need to be safe and accurate on a daily basis. A Blue Light Policy is required to answer the following question. What happens when something unusual happens? A vehicle with a blue flashing light and sirens wailing is growing rapidly in your rear view mirror. What happens now? This is the essence of a blue light policy.
This blue light policy is intended to answer this question in advance and dispel a few myths.
Blue Light Policy - Why have a Blue Light Policy at all?
This Blue Light Policy contains vital information.
All drivers should be aware of the Blue Light Policy.
This Blue Light Policy was not written as an exercise. I did not source the information for this Blue Light Policy as a whim in webpage creation. This Blue Light Policy is not only a good idea, this Blue Light Policy contains vital information which I personally believe is essential to every driver on the roads today.
If you read and understand the Blue Light Policy below then everyone will be a little safer because there will be an extra driver who knows what to do in a Blue Light situation.
This Blue Light Policy will hopefully raise your awareness of Blue Light situations and options that are open to you!
Blue Light Policy
Cannot all government vehicles carry Blue Lights?
How many services may use blue lights?
Before I explain the blue light policy a question. How many services are there who may use blue lights on their vehicles?
You may be suprised to know but there are nine services who use blue lights:-
- Police
- H.M. Coastguard
- Fire
- Ambulance
- Human Tissue for Transplant
- Blood Transfusion Service
- Mines rescue
- Mountain rescue
- Lifeboat launching vehicles
Some of those blue light users you may never have thought of but they are all as valid in an emergency situation. They are all entitled to use blue lights. After all; if you were lying on a trolley in hospital awaiting a new organ you would not want it, or the blood transfusion that would also be necessary, to be stuck in traffic. Would you? Blue lights make all the difference for cutting through the traffic.
Blue Light Policy - Restrictions
There are restrictions upon the use of Blue Lights
Blue Lights can not be used merely for convenience
There are restrictions upon the use of blue lights. Take a look at these four statements and see which ones you think are correct.
- Vehicles that carry blue lights can drive as fast as they like at any time.
- If a traffic light is on red then we are permitted to cross it to clear the way for a vehicle with its blue lights on.
- Vehicles with blue lights flashing have the right of way in all situations.
- Fire engines may push your vehicle if it is in the way.
To take the blue light questions one at a time:-
1) Vehicles that carry blue lights can drive as fast as they like at any time.
In their dreams maybe. When the blue lights are off they are bound by the same rules of the road as the rest of us. When the blue lights and sirens are on they may travel as fast as it is safe to do so if the situation requires it.
2) If a traffic light is on red then we are permitted to cross it to clear the way for a vehicle with its blue lights on.
Not a chance. Crossing a red light may cause an unexpected hazard for other traffic who may not have been aware of the emergency vehicle. The priority remains with the other traffic. If the blue light emergency vehicle does not have the space to get by and the traffic from the other direction has stopped as well then it would be safe to move forward to make a gap. Plenty of observation would of course be required.
3) Vehicles with blue lights flashing have the right of way in all situations.
As they approach a major junction blue light vehicles will be very progressive with their driving and they will move forwards as far as they possibly can before being forced to halt by the traffic. Blue light vehicles however do not have the right to just drive into the flow of traffic unless it is safe to do so.
4) Fire engines may push your vehicle if it is in the way.
The fire service is allowed to move any vehicles blocking their way if they cannot find the driver. They will do everything that they can to move it without damaging it. If they still cannot gain the necessary access to the scene of an emergency then they will probably attach a chain to the axle and drag it. If this is not possible they will tip your vehicle onto its side if necessary to get by. Their first priority has got to be attending the emergency to which they have been called out!
The moral here is clear. If you are woken in the early hours by the sound of sirens and you look through the window to realise that your vehicle is in the way, do not pretend that it is not yours. You will be helping everyone including yourself if you move it promptly.
Yellow Lights
Vehicles that carry yellow lights are not to be confused with emergency vehicles. Any vehicle, which is carrying out utility work and may need to be parked in a location that would otherwise be considered dangerous, may be fitted with yellow lights.
Examples of utility vehicles are, council vans or any equipment used for the maintenance of the carriageway. There are regulations for this of course but thankfully we do not need to know them.
Blue light policy
Blue light policy - So what do we actually do?
Our reaction to Blue Lights is crucial
As soon as we become aware of the approach of an emergency vehicle with its blue lights we will have to make a quick assessment of the situation.
We need to know which direction the blue light emergency vehicle is coming from and where it is going. Neither of these will be immediately obvious. A siren is clear enough but telling which direction it is coming from can be difficult if you cannot see the vehicle. Blue Lights help too but not if they are around a corner. Working out where they are going can be difficult too. They may need to turn left, but because of the position of the vehicles that have stopped in front of them they may be anywhere on the road, even on the wrong side. Be aware of the needs of blue light vehicles!
If the blue light emergency services vehicle is behind us or coming towards us then we will slow down and move to the side of the road more than normal, stopping if necessary.
If we are on or approaching a major junction and a blue light emergency services vehicle wishes to enter the junction from another direction, the priority on the road remains with us. If it is safe to do so we will slow down to allow the vehicle with the blue lights to access the junction in front of us.
I feel that it is especially important to mention here that we do not perform an emergency stop to allow the blue light vehicle access. If we did, we may be creating a second accident for the emergency services to attend!
