Give way to emergency personnel
Emergency personnel are pleading with residents to assist when they are responding to an emergency.
They said that people not moving out of the way, when safe to do so, on the roads could result in the loss of lives and the escaping of dangerous criminals.
The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD), Ekurhuleni Emergency Services (EES) and the South African Police Services (SAPS) all agree that motorists do not always cooperate when asked to give a way.
EMPD’s spokesperson, Chief Superintended Wilfred Kgasago, said there is a perception that metro police put on blue lights and sirens even when there is no emergency.
“The fact of the matter is that one cannot tell for sure as to what is fact or fiction in such situations. How does one tell if it’s one’s family, friend or colleague involved in accidents? Besides, it does not have to be somebody close to you who needs urgent assistance for you to do the right thing,” he said.
Chief Sup Kgasago said that in most cases the lives of the people depend on emergency personnel arriving quickly at the scene of an accident or incident.
“Our plea to motorists is that they treat such requests as a serious matter, regardless of what perceptions they have regarding metro police using blue lights for no reason. Time is of the essence when it comes to emergencies – be it injuries, house robberies in progress, a hostage situation or a woman delivering a baby,” he said.
He added that EMPD constantly reminds its officers about professional conduct on the road as they do their job.
EES media liaison officer, Mr William Ntladi, said there is another perception that emergency personnel do not want to sit in the traffic and therefore switch their sirens on just to pass quickly.
“Give us the benefit of the doubt. Allow us the chance to save lives. Give an emergency vehicle with blue lights on, or siren, the right of way,” he said.
He said sometimes motorists drive in front, or just behind, an emergency vehicle when other vehicles give it right-of-way.
Bedfordview SAPS cooperate communications officer, Sergeant Mduduzi Nhlabathi, said that loud music in cars and earphones in pedestrians are another big problem for police when responding to emergency calls.
“You find that the music in a vehicle is so loud that the driver cannot hear any sirens; as a result he does not give a way to police. Also, pedestrians listing to music on earphones sometimes do not hear sirens,” said Sgt Nhlabathi.
He did add that most motorists comply when asked to give way to police.
“Some people block us accidentally when they are trying to move out of the way for us. Ideally, motorists should move as far to the left as possible for us to pass,” he said.
“As police, we are not normally called out when things are fine. We are often called out to save lives. So even if you have your doubts about it, give us the right-of-way. We might be rushing to save your family member, your friend or someone you know.”
Chief Sup Kgasago said that motorists who deliberately obstruct an emergency vehicle when it requests right-of-way may be arrested.
“Motorists failing to give way to emergency vehicles when it is clear they are responding to an emergency, may be liable to a fine of R500. The worst-case scenario could involve someone losing their life because EMS could not arrive in time,” said Chief Sup Kgasago.
