SLOW DOWN AND GIVE SPACE
From 26 September 2019 motorists will no longer need to slow down to 40km/h on roads with speed limits of 90km/h or MORE when passing stationary emergency vehicles with flashing lights.
The trial of a rule that required motorists to slow down to 40km/h when passing stationary emergency vehicles with flashing blue or red lights has been completed and changes will be made to the road rule as a result of a review of the 12 month trial, which included community feedback.
This rule is being changed to:
- improve the safety of emergency services personnel, tow truck operators and breakdown assistance providers working on the road, as well as the people they are helping.
- make it safer on higher speed roads where the time and distance required to reduce speed to 40km/h is the greatest.
Important things to note:
- On higher speed roads (with a speed limit of 90km/h or more), motorists will be required to slow down safely to a speed that is reasonable for the circumstances.
- Motorists must also provide sufficient space between their vehicle and the stationary tow truck, breakdown assistance or emergency vehicle displaying flashing lights. This will include changing lanes on a multi-lane road if it is safe to do so.
- On lower speed roads (with a speed limit of 80km/h or less), motorists will continue to be required to slow to 40km/h when passing stationary tow trucks, breakdown assistance or emergency vehicles displaying flashing lights.
- All motorists must also give way to any person on foot in the vicinity of a stationary tow truck, breakdown assistance or emergency vehicle displaying flashing lights. Motorists must not increase their speed until they are a sufficient distance past all the vehicles and people involved.
- The rule does not apply when a stationary tow truck, breakdown assistance or emergency vehicle displaying flashing lights is on the opposite side of a divided road separated by a median strip.
*information taken from Transport for NSW website.
