Flemish motorists unsure how to react to sirens and lights

The survey of 2,000 drivers was inspired by complaints from drivers of priority vehicles – ambulances, fire brigade and police – that people do not react in the correct way to their presence. Those faulty reactions not only hinder the progress of emergency vehicles, they can place other road users in danger.

For example, 82% of those polled were unaware of the difference between an emergency vehicle with blue lights in operation and one operating what insiders call “blues and twos”: blue lights and a two-tone siren simultaneously. By law, only the latter is considered a priority vehicle, to which all other traffic on the road must yield. 

VAB issued its own advice: take no unusual evasive action, signal your manoeuvre with indicators, don’t do anything to endanger yourself or other drivers (going through a red light to make way for the priority vehicle, for instance), and be aware that one priority vehicle may be followed by others.

VAB has launched a test for drivers on its website.