Special vehicles – part 1

Some vehicles have more rights than other vehicles. These are, for example, emergency vehicles. In addition, trams, military convoys and funeral processions of motor vehicles have special rights.
There are also vehicles that do not immediately have extra rights, but which you have to take extra into account, e.g. larger transports.

Emergency vehicle: Motor vehicle that carries optical signals (flashing light) and sound signals (sirens). These include blue flashing lights and a two-tone horn. You should always give right of way to these vehicles.
Ambulance: Motor vehicle equipped and intended to be used for the transportation of sick or injured people to and from the hospital.
Emergency medical services: Motor vehicle intended for the provision of emergency medical care. This does not have to be for the transport of a patient, such as an ambulance. It could, for example, be a company car from a GP (general practitioner). This is mainly intended to get the GP to the patient urgently.
Animal ambulance: Motor vehicle, equipped and intended to be used for the transport of sick or injured animals. These vehicles are never emergency vehicles because they do not use blue flashing lights or sirens. However, they often have extra yellow flashing lights to make them easier to see.

Emergency vehicles

Emergency vehicles are motor vehicles that have an urgent task to complete. They show that they are in a hurry by means of blue optical signals (flashing lights) and sound signals in the form of a two-tone horn (siren). Without these signals, or with only one of these signals, they are not emergency vehicles and they do not have priority.

istock 1093972896 — Not only vehicles of these services can be emergency vehicles.

nl rijkswaterstaat — Vehicles of other authorised services can also be emergency vehicles, as long as they use blue flashing lights and sirens.

Emergency vehicles include ambulances, police vehicles and fire engines. However, other services may also be authorised to use these signals. In this case, they are also classed as emergency vehicles. This includes vehicles of Rijkswaterstaat, or vehicles for blood or organ transport.

Give way to emergency vehicles

All road users must give way to emergency vehicles. There are no exceptions to this rule. It is important to do so safely, however. You may not cause a hinder or danger or violate traffic rules in the course of giving way to an emergency vehicle. If an emergency vehicle is approaching, remain calm. Drivers of these vehicles make their own way through traffic to the extent possible. The more predictably you act, the easier it is for them to do this. Some tips:

Only make room if this is safe. In the meantime, continue driving with the permitted speed.
If a lane is free, leave it free for the emergency vehicle. Stay off the hard shoulder in case of traffic jams!
When on a roundabout, or approaching one with an emergency vehicle behind you, continue to drive on the roundabout until the emergency vehicle has left the roundabout.
If you are in front of a red traffic light, only make room if the emergency vehicle cannot pass it. Also make room only if this is safe. Do not just drive through a red traffic light onto the intersection. In that case, waiting is safer.
If an emergency vehicle wants to pass you, stay on the lane and keep to the right as much as possible. Never enter the verge or the pavement at high speed.
Always make sure that there are not more emergency vehicles.

3137 — In this situation, just drive an extra lap until the police car is off the roundabout.

3141 — Never drive onto the level crossing when the red lights are on to let the fire engine pass.

If you do not see an emergency vehicle or see it too late, you cannot respond properly. Make sure you check all mirrors regularly. It is not uncommon to see a emergency vehicle before you can hear it. In addition, always maintain sufficient following distance, even when waiting for a traffic light. Then you still have room to make room if an emergency vehicle wants to pass.

Emergency vehicles and traffic rules

Emergency vehicles may ignore some traffic rules if they have a good reason to do so. For example, they are allowed to drive through a red light and drive faster than usual.

Police vehicles are allowed to do this even if they do not carry optical and sound signals and therefore are not emergency vehicles at that time. They are not allowed to do this just like that, but only for good reason.