Law enforcement, emergency and incident response vehicles
There are rules for how we travel on our roads, to ensure the safety of workers operating emergency, enforcement and incident response vehicles.
Slow down when passing
Tow trucks, breakdown support and freeway or tollway incident response vehicles are included in this road rule, as well as emergency and enforcement vehicles.
You are legally required to slow down to 40km/h when passing emergency, incident response and roadside assistance vehicles that are stationary or moving slower than 10km/h and have flashing lights or an alarm sounding.
When you see flashing lights (red, blue, magenta or yellow) and the vehicle is stopped or moving slower than 10km/h you must:
- start to safely slow down to 40km/h (check your rear-view mirror first, especially on high-speed roads)
- Pass the scene at 40km/h speed and be able to stop if directed
- Return to the legal speed limit after you are a safe distance from the scene
When the rule applies
You must slow down:
- for all law enforcement, emergency vehicles and incident response vehicles with red, blue or magenta (purple) lights as well as for vehicles with amber (yellow) lights. These include:
- emergency vehicles (including ambulance, fire services, state emergency services)
- enforcement vehicles (including Victoria Police)
- accident towing
- breakdown towing
- roadside assistance
- incident response services
- escort vehicles
- on all roads, including freeways. You must slow down even if the law enforcement, emergency or special purpose vehicle is in the service lane or on a dividing strip.
- in both directions on roads that are divided by single or double white lines.
You don’t need to slow down if you’re travelling on the opposite side of a road separated by a median strip, e.g. an area that’s covered in grass or includes a wire rope, concrete barrier or painted island.
Slowing down on a high-speed road
Always check your rear-view mirror first, then gradually slow down as soon as you see flashing lights. Keep the current road conditions in mind and avoid sudden braking.
If the police need to stop a vehicle on a high-speed road, they’ll try to do this a location that’s easily seen to give approaching vehicles enough time slow down safely.
If an emergency or law enforcement vehicle needs to stop in an area of low visibility (due to the location or poor weather), there’ll likely be sirens as well as flashing lights.
Reducing your speed, even if the vehicle doesn’t get down to 40km/h, will still help keep them safe and reduce the risk of injury for all workers on or by the roadside.
Returning to the legal speed limit
The road rule doesn’t define a ‘safe distance’ from a scene because every incident is different.
For example, a fire truck may be stationed by the roadside with flashing lights, but fire fighters may be managing a fire further up the road. In this instance, you must not increase your speed until you’ve passed all emergency personnel at the scene.
In contrast, a roadside vehicle stopped by the police might require you slow down and travel at 40km/h for a much shorter distance.
You should be aware of the individual circumstances of each incident and drive accordingly.
Once you’re clear of the scene, you don’t need to wait for the next speed sign to increase your speed up to the previously posted limit.
Giving way to emergency vehicles
Responding to sirens and flashing lights
If a moving law enforcement or emergency vehicle has its lights and/or siren on, you:
- must safely get out of its way
- give way and stop if necessary (even if your traffic light is green)
- can enter an intersection on a red light if:
- it's safe
- it’s the only way to make room.
You must also stop if twin red lights are flashing on a road, e.g. outside a fire station or ambulance station. You can start driving again once the lights have stopped flashing and the road is clear of emergency or other vehicles.
Exemptions
In emergencies, law enforcement and emergency vehicles like ambulance, fire trucks, or police are not required to follow the road rules.
Road Safety Road Rules 2017
The rules regarding law enforcement and emergency vehicles are published in the Road Safety Road Rules 2017:
- Part 7 - Giving way (Rule 78-79A)
- Part 19 - Exemptions (Rule 305-313B)
You may be fined if you ignore the law. For more information, visit fines and fees.
You may be fined if you ignore the law
You may receive a fine up to the value of 5 penalty units if caught breaking these rules. However, no demerit points will apply. For more information, visit fines and fees.