Coquitlam drivers not yielding for fire trucks
Posted June 25, 2013 8:51 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
COQUITLAM (NEWS1130) – Coquitlam RCMP has issued a warning for drivers to yield to fire trucks after a man was ticketed for speeding up and refusing to move out of the way.
Drivers are of course required by law to yield to any emergency vehicle with lights and sirens activated.
Coquitlam Fire Chief Wade Pierlot says he doesn’t believe people are deliberately disobeying the law. The 32-year veteran thinks drivers are often distracted or unaware and that by the time they realize they’re in the truck’s path, they panic.
“People aren’t aware of the emergency vehicles’ presence until it’s right there and they do strange things in reacting.”
He has seen drivers do everything from freeze up to just keep driving and blocking the lane.
Pierlot says better car insulation and hands-free devices mean they’re often not aware a 12-ton vehicle is closing in on them at a high rate of speed.
“The interior occupancy is such that they are quite quiet, you don’t hear as much outside noise.”
He says lights and sirens are more effective at night and he’s reminding drivers it is the law to stay 500 feet back and to pull over in a safe location to let a fire truck pass.
Tickets for failing to do so start at $109.
