Don’t panic when you see those blue lights
It can be one of the most stressful things to happen to learner drivers on a driving test. Sirens blaring and blue lights flashing in the rear view mirror. The most important thing to do is stay calm.
It’s often the case that you hear the siren before you see where it’s coming from. Don’t take your eyes off the road and start looking over your shoulder. This can lead to accidents. All will be revealed if you carry on and allow the situation to develop. It’s important to keep driving as normal. The emergency vehicle might not even be going your way.
Keep going until the vehicle pops up in your mirrors or you can see it through the windscreen. When you see it anticipate where the vehicle is going and decide if you will need to stop. If you do then take a breath and choose a safe place to pull up. Whatever you do, don’t blindly stop just anywhere.
Keep calm and listen to your driving instructor.
Lots of learners pull up opposite a parked vehicle and don’t leave enough room for the ambulance to get through. A common mistake on driving tests. This makes the problem worse. Keep moving until you find a good spot .
Forcing your car up the kerb onto the pavement is not a good idea. I see plenty of people overdo this. It can damage your tyres and ruin the suspension of your car. If you do have to pull up on the kerb do it slowly and make sure you check for pedestrians first.
Finally, remember you’re not allowed to break the law to clear the way for emergency vehicles in heavy traffic. If you must go over the stop line at a red light. Check first for opposing traffic and only go out as much as necessary. If it looks dangerous wait for the green light.
Braking the speed limit and driving down bus lanes during their hours of operation remain illegal even under these circumstances. Keep calm, pick your spot to pull over and do it carefully. It’s bad form to overtake people who pulled over for emergency vehicles. Hold back and let them move off again. Good manners cost nothing and keep everyone happy.