Canberra drivers will have to slow to 40km/h to pass ambulances, police and other emergency services vehicles on the side of the road from Saturday, April 14.
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Minister for Road Safety Shane Rattenbury and Police and Emergency Services Minister Mick Gentleman announced the new regulations on Monday.
From Saturday, drivers must slow down to 40km/h when passing emergency vehicles with red or blue flashing lights on the side of the road. The penalty is two demerit points and a fine of $257, the same as penalties involving other vulnerable road users.
ACT Chief Police Officer Justine Saunders said the new law was about safety for emergency services and police, who dealt with thousands of breath tests, traffic fines and car accidents on roadsides each year.
“This is not about enforcing the law, this is certainly not a means for raising revenue for the government, this is about education and bringing clarity to the community about what we need them to do to ensure our emergency services and police can be safe," she said.
“Historically we have had officers seriously injured as a result of people simply not seeing them on the road. Fortunately, we haven’t had any recent occurrences, but this is about prevention, this is about repairing bad driving behaviour, and ensuring our emergency services personnel’s safety.”
The new law applies where a driver approaches an emergency vehicle that is stationary or moving slowly and displaying flashing red or blue lights, including at random check points.
Drivers must approach at a speed at which they can stop safely, give way to emergency workers on foot nearby and pass at no more than 40km/h.
The rule doesn't apply when the emergency vehicle is parked on the other side of a road if there is a median strip.
Mr Gentleman also called on drivers not to "rubber neck"’ around areas where emergency services were working.
ACT Emergency Services commissioner Dominic Lane said emergency services personnel worked in dangerous situations.
“Anyone that has ever stood on the side of a road like the Monaro Highway as traffic goes past at 100km/h knows how dangerous the environment our firefighters and paramedics and emergency services personnel work in," he said.
Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria already have similar laws, with similar laws coming into effect in NSW later in the year.
