What to do when traffic traps ambulance or fire truck

Eric Lai

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Q: I frequently see responding emergency vehicles trapped behind traffic stopped at a red light with no lanes to pass on. What should those vehicles blocking access do when there is no possibility of moving to the right? Are they allowed to go through the red (when safe to do so) to allow the emergency vehicle to pass?

A: Staff Sgt. Bradley Bulmer, Traffic Bureau Commander with York Regional Police, replies:

There is no provision in the Highway Traffic Act for a motorist to go through a red light other than when driving an emergency vehicle (with lights and siren activated). So, no, drivers cannot go through a red light even in the circumstances described above.

Instead, what should happen is:

Drivers should respond more quickly by moving over as soon as the emergency vehicle is seen or heard. Do not wait until it is upon you before you take action.

If you are in the curb lane, move as far to the right as possible. That will create room for the vehicle next to you, and the one next to them, to move to the right also.

If you cannot move, wait for the green light. Most fire vehicles are equipped with a device that will change the traffic signal to green as they approach. Once the light is green, advance into or through the intersection and pull over as soon as it is safe to do so.

For your information, section 159 of the Highway Traffic Act states that, upon the approach of a responding emergency vehicle with lights and siren activated, all drivers shall immediately bring their vehicle to a standstill:

(a) as near as is practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway and parallel therewith and clear of any intersection; or

(b) when on a roadway having more than two lanes for traffic and designated for the use of one-way traffic, as near as is practicable to the nearest curb or edge of the roadway and parallel therewith and clear of any intersection.

Q: I have a hydraulic tailgate lift on my pickup truck, but whoever installed it seems to have wired it directly to the battery without a fuse or circuit breaker. Is this dangerous?

A: Electrical engineer Eli Melnick of Start Auto Electric (www.startauto.com) in Toronto replies:

Most of the vehicle fires that we see and repair at our shop are caused by the addition of an aftermarket or a home-made component to the vehicle’s electrical system. It’s rare to see a factory harness cause a fire. Factory wiring and fuel lines are usually well protected and generally last the life of the vehicle.

Trouble often starts when someone installs an accessory and inadvertently drives a mounting screw into a wiring harness, fuel line or electronic control box. The resulting short circuit could manifest itself hours, days or even years later.

There’s a lot of energy in the battery and a short circuit will burn out the overloaded wire, which could lead to a catastrophic fire.

It’s vital to install correctly-sized protection devices, such as fusible links, fuses and/or circuit breakers, on all automotive electrical lines. In the event of an overload, these devices will interrupt the circuit long before the wiring has a chance to overheat.

If a fuse in your vehicle keeps blowing, don’t just replace it with a higher-amp fuse, which is extremely dangerous. The blown fuse is alerting you that something is seriously wrong with your electrical system. Have your vehicle inspected to find the root cause of the excessive current draw and correct it.

You can send your non-mechanical questions to Eric Lai at wheels@thestar.ca. Include year, make, model and kilometres of autos cited, plus your name, address and telephone number.. Personal replies cannot be handled due to volume.

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