Loud sirens, flashing blue lights; it’s enough to give any driver palpitations as we rush to assess where an emergency vehicle is approaching from and what to do so they can pass:

*As 1,2Drive’s Tony Lane explains here in his guest blog, it’s vital to follow the rules of the road to ensure you stay safe – and legal – whatever the emergency:*If an emergency vehicle is approaching:

• Don’t brake suddenly as other road users might not have realised yet an emergency vehicle is bearing down on them

• Turn off any music so you can hear the siren more clearly and judge its relative proximity; after all, it’s not unusual to hear an emergency vehicle long before you actually see it

• Keep calm and give yourself enough time to plan; there’s no point in making a hasty move as you could end up causing an accident that will need… an emergency vehicle to attend

• Check your mirrors if the emergency vehicle is coming from behind you; this will help you ascertain which direction the vehicle is planning to go in

• If it’s a police car, do make sure they aren’t asking you to pull over!

How to position yourself on the road:

• Look for somewhere safe to pull over; once a suitable spot has been located, indicate before pulling over so there is no risk of confusing other road users

• Try to stay off kerbs, pavements and verges but do bear in mind that emergency vehicles come in many different shapes and sizes so be sure to create a big enough space for them to pass safely

• If you are slowing down or have stopped, don’t move off until the emergency vehicle has fully passed

• Be aware there may be more than one emergency vehicle coming so listen out for different sirens and ensure you look round before pulling back out

• Also watch for other vehicles that have moved into the space created by the emergency vehicle (yes, such opportunistic drivers still sadly exist).

**What to do if you’re:**At Traffic Lights • Remember, you must stay legal at traffic lights; the emergency vehicle will try to get around you as they do not want to force you to break the law or make you cause an accident by pulling forward into moving traffic

• The exception to the above rule is if a uniformed police officer orders you through a red light.

On the Motorway/Dual Carriageway • On motorways and dual carriageways, don’t overtake an emergency vehicle if its blue lights are flashing

• Instead, give them plenty of room and follow at a safe distance.

In a Solid White Line System • The emergency vehicle will probably switch off its lights; this is because it is not legally allowed to overtake you unless you are stationary and it’s safe to do so

• Instead, keep going at the speed limit if you can and as you come out of the white line system, expect the emergency vehicle to switch its lights and siren back on again as it tries to get past.

– Guest blog written by Tony Lane, ADI and owner of www.12drive.co.uk, the website dedicated to helping you develop safe driving skills for life.