Commercial driver's guide to operation, safety and licensing

Emergency
Medical
Services
Examples of Class 4 motor vehicles are ambulances, taxis, buses with a seating capacity of less
than 24 passengers, and vehicles being used for hire.
Emergency vehicles
Legal aspects of emergency
vehicle operation
• The Traffic Safety Act, states that a
siren on an emergency vehicle shall be
operated only when the vehicle is being
used in response to an emergency, an
emergency call or an alarm.
• When operating an emergency vehicle,
the law states:
··
(1) Where, considering the
circumstances, it is reasonable and
safe to do so, a person driving an
emergency vehicle may while the
vehicle’s siren is operating do one or
more of the following:
··
(a) drive the vehicle in excess of the
speed limit;
· · (b) proceed past a traffic control
signal indicating stop or a stop sign
without stopping;
· · (c) contravene any provision that is
prescribed by the Act, this or other
regulations or a municipal bylaw
governing the use of the highways.
· · (2) An emergency vehicle, while its
siren is operating, has the right of
way over all other vehicles.
• Use of the red flashing lights alone,
does not exempt the driver from the
Traffic Safety Act.
• The Traffic Safety Act authorizes
emergency medical operators to
disregard some traffic laws under limited
circumstances. Failure to meet the
requirements of these circumstances
means that the driver may be subject to
Civil and Criminal penalties in the event
of a collision.
66 A Commercial Driver’s Guide to Operation, Safety and Licensing