Why can't I drive behind an ambulance in traffic?

It is the law that ambulance and other emergency vehicles have the right of way. According to Article 5, Section 49 of the Republic Act N. 4136, drivers must give the right of way to passing police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks when they are in service.

Upon the approach of any constabulary, fire department vehicle, or an ambulance with flashing lights and loud noise, the driver of every other vehicle on the road shall immediately drive to a position near as possible and parallel to the right-hand edge or curb of the highway, clear of any intersection of roads and it must remain in that position unless otherwise directed by a police officer until the ambulance has passed.

Driving behind an ambulance is not allowed because it’s illegal. This is so because the traffic laws that bound other vehicles are not the same as the ones that bound the ambulance vehicle.

Ambulance drivers are allowed to drive fast and sometimes reckless if need be. The training given to ambulance drivers is special training. They have the permission of the law to skip the traffic signs, so if a regular vehicle moves behind them, it will be blind to what is in front of him and might lead to a terrible accident. Driving behind an ambulance is illegal and dangerous.

Driving behind an ambulance does not put only you in danger but other drivers; even when the person in the ambulance is your family member, it is wrong to trail an ambulance. When an ambulance skips the res light when you drive behind it, you will not be aware of the traffic light, which might put you and others in serious danger.

When you see an ambulance in traffic, it is law that the drivers must stop and give the ambulance the right of way. The reason for this is because they are emergency vehicles. They are called to report to many emergency instances such as fires, shootings, and car accidents.

They drive at very fast speeds and need to get to the emergency as fast as possible. Drivers should also not be behind the ambulance because as they are trying to get to the emergency, they sometimes make sudden and abrupt stops, which could cause even more emergencies if an accident were to occur.

Even if there is a paired shoulder, drivers are required by law to pull over and make a complete stop. That could mean driving into the brush a bit. Instead, the ambulance driver would pull off and still be halfway in the road, then having the driver continue until the driveway appears.

Upon the urgent approach of an authorized emergency vehicle lit up and making noise, under normal atmospheric conditions, the surrounding traffic must pull over. The motorist of every other vehicle on the road must give the right of way to the ambulance and remain stopped until the emergency vehicle has passed.

If this is not accomplished, there could be multiple collisions, which could even cause more emergencies, and it will hold up the person in the ambulance who needs immediate attention.

You are not allowed to drive behind the ambulance in traffic. It may be tempting to do so because vehicles are required to move on the side to let the ambulance pass. Some drivers would like to drive behind the ambulance because this will also allow them to sift through traffic but remember that ambulance drivers have undergone proper training to ensure that they would be able to drive around the different streets with ease even if they are a bit reckless. Normal drivers will not be able to move around the way the ambulance drivers can because they have not gotten this type of driving training.

It is not a good idea to follow an ambulance. It is a violation of the road rules, which can prove dangerous for other vehicles that are driving. Regular cars cannot do that, but ambulances can do so. Even if you are a family member of someone in the ambulance, driving directly behind the ambulance is not right. Ambulances can run through red lights because all the other vehicles move to the side so that the ambulance can get through.

However, if a car driving behind an ambulance runs through the red light, it can be detrimental for the other drivers on the road, as it is dangerous and foolish and puts people at risk. Even if the other vehicles see the car trailing behind the ambulance, they may take advantage of the situation and try to pass them. There are too many possible ways that an accident can occur, and this will cause another emergency.