Parked emergency response vehicles with flashing lights

If you're passing a parked emergency response vehicle with flashing lights, you must move over and slow down as soon as you can do so safely.

Emergency response vehicles

You must move over and slow down if you see any of these vehicles displaying flashing lights.

Emergency services—flashing blue and red lights

• Queensland Police Service vehicles
• Queensland Ambulance Service vehicles
• Queensland Fire and Emergency Service vehicles:
  • Fire and Rescue Service vehicles
  • Rural Fire Service vehicles
  • State Emergency Service vehicles

Transport enforcement—flashing magenta lights

• Transport and Main Roads compliance vehicles
• National Heavy Vehicle Regulator compliance vehicles

Breakdown assistance providers—flashing yellow lights

• Tow trucks
• Roadside assistance—for example, RACQ or other vehicles that provide a similar service and are clearly marked

Move over into another lane

On a multi-lane road you must leave 1 clear lane between your vehicle and the emergency response vehicle. This will help to create as much space as possible for emergency response workers in higher-risk environments, such as motorways.

You don't need to move over if:

• it is not safe or practical to change lanes
• there are roadworks on the length of the road
• you are following a direction from a police officer or other enforcement officer
• you are making a left or right-hand turn on a multi-lane road.

If you can't move over, slow down to a safe speed

If you can't leave a clear lane or are driving on a single-lane road you must:

• move over as far as possible within your lane
• slow down to a safe speed.

If there is enough space between your vehicle and the emergency response workers, it may be safe to pass at a speed closer to the speed limit of the road.

If this is possible, you should consider:

• how close parked vehicles, emergency response workers and other pedestrians are to the lane you are driving in
• surrounding traffic and whether you can brake in a safe and controlled way (for example, a heavy vehicle may be close behind you)
• general road and weather conditions.

Find out what penalties apply if you don't safely pass emergency response vehicles.

These move over, slow down laws will help protect our emergency response workers when working at the roadside.