Home SECTION II ABOUT THE MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES CHAPTER III PASSAGE PRIORITY SECTION 4 EMERGENCY SERVICES VEHICLES Article 70 Non-priority vehicles in emergency service

Article 70 Non-priority vehicles in emergency service

by Mark Nolan

1. If, as a result of particularly serious circumstances, the driver of a non-priority vehicle is forced, being unable to resort to any other means, to perform a service normally reserved for priority users, they will ensure that other users are warned of the special situation in which they are driving, using the horn intermittently and activating the hazard lights, if available, or by shaking a handkerchief or similar cloth from the window.

 

2. The drivers referred to in the previous section must respect traffic regulations, especially at intersections, and other road users will comply with the provisions of Article 69.

 

3. At any time, police officers may require justification of the circumstances referred to in paragraph 1.

 

4. Breaches of the regulations of this rule will be considered as serious.

 

This article talks about the use of private vehicles for emergency services; transfer of people whose seriousness forces them to be taken immediately to the nearest Health Centre, and there is no emergency service nearby. Such that a delay would carry a risk to the life of the injured person.

 

Remember that if you have to transfer a seriously ill person to a hospital, if the seriousness is such that you must do so as an emergency service vehicle, do not forget to signal this to other road users; use the horn, hazard lights and a white handkerchief if possible, otherwise put any other item of clothing out of the vehicle’s window.

 

Do not forget that if you have to pass a junction or a traffic light where you do not have priority, travelling as an emergency service does not mean that you can cross it before you see that vehicles have stopped and pedestrians have also noticed your presence. No collision will be justified in which it can be shown that you did not take the necessary precautions.

 

There are cases of private vehicles driving on emergency service, ignoring any traffic regulations, without keeping basic safety standards, and endangering other road users. This behaviour is totally prohibited and is punishable.

 

This type of driving will be treated as a serious offence, very serious, or even a criminal charge if there has been a real risk to the lives of people.

Skip to content