The objectives of emergency vehicle lights

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by: jedc.mcmanus
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Word Count: 547
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2011 Time: 6:36 PM
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That emergency vehicle lights are a must is something universally accepted. Emergency vehicles, which comprise mainly of fire trucks, police vehicles, and ambulances, use emergency vehicle lights since they need to go faster. Quite often, their reaching the venue of the emergency fast could save lives, save a building from collapsing, prevent hurt or injury, or will make it possible to nab criminals. Pedestrians and other drivers are expected to yield to all emergency vehicles, though there are minor variations in the laws on this on different states. emergency vehicle lights and sirens are used on the assumption that the pedestrians as well as the other motor vehicles on the road pose a threat to the speedy movement of an emergency vehicle. As such, the main objectives of these warning devices are to gain the attention of the other vehicles on the road, to help them identify the emergency vehicle, to reveal to them the size of the vehicle, and to inform them of the direction of movement. Those using emergency vehicle lights should fully understand the way in which these lights are supposed to help them speed up. This means that just because the emergency vehicle lights of a police vehicle or ambulance is shining at full strength, and its siren is screeching full throttle, it does not give them any sort of road immunity. Drivers of emergency vehicles cannot expect other vehicles and pedestrians to move out of the way like reflex action just because the lights and sirens are on. Even if emergency vehicle lights and sirens are on, there is every possibility that other drivers might have missed the cues. Lots of vehicles these days are sound proofed so that it is easy for outside sounds to be shut out. Then many people play radios or stereos in their vehicles, there could be children bawling, and other passengers in the vehicle could be talking on their mobiles, even if the driver himself is prevented by law in many places from using mobiles while driving.In order to avoid accidents, drivers of emergency vehicles have to leave a wide margin for these possibilities. Emergency vehicle lights could also be missed because of a large vehicle like a towing truck that could block the emergency vehicle from the view of other vehicles. Likewise, bad weather conditions like fog or rain is also enough to make emergency vehicle lights less effective than they are supposed to be.Even if an emergency vehicle has been able to get the attention of the other vehicles as is expected, that in itself is no guarantee that the other vehicles will move away. Individual responses to situations could vary, and driving abilities of all drivers may not be such that they could instantly change lanes. Further, traffic conditions might also prevent many drivers from changing lanes and giving way.So, even if emergency vehicle lights and sirens are on, the drivers of the vehicles should understand that the use of these would not make the other vehicles automatically move out of the way. Other motorists could sometimes miss the cue and they may exercise their choice in moving as well. So, even emergency vehicles should not speed up to the extent that sudden braking will become practically impossible for them.

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