It’s all about safety; that’s the crux of the change.
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And that’s why one of the Border’s most senior police officers reckons any arguments to the contrary simply do not rate.
The safety question that Wodonga Highway Patrol’s Sergeant Cameron Roberts refers to is something they face every day.
It is something that paramedics who have rushed to a crash scene to provide crucial treatment regularly have to confront.
Our firies are no different. It is part of every working week, so anything that keeps their crews safer when their pulled over by the side of the road or heading to scene of a call-out has to be of considerable assistance.
The change is new Victorian laws to make sure our emergency services are not endangered when they are simply doing their job.
Even if they do not need to go above the speed limit, their flashing lights and sirens means everyone should ensure they have a clear path to take.
This is something that is drilled into everyone who wants to get a driver’s licence. And that is, if an emergency vehicle is approaching you should pull over.
But we know that doesn’t always happen. Many people could recount incidents where other motorists, almost belligerently, fail to even move even slightly aside to let an ambulance, a police car or a fire truck pass.
But this stupid, ignorant behaviour becomes even more foolhardy when crews are on scene doing their best to save lives and get people to hospital as quickly as possible.
Sometimes it is even simply a police officer standing by the driver’s side of a car that has been pulled over.
The new laws though will at least make it safer for our emergency crews.
The new requirement is a 40km/h speed limit for any drivers passing emergency vehicles.
The RACV has questioned the law for open highway limits, believing it impractical for motorists to be able to slow down in time.
But it is hard to believe that any driver paying proper attention, as we all should, would not be able to see what is ahead and act accordingly.
It is a very easy thing to do to slow down to 40km/h and it will ensure a far safer working environment for our emergency workers.
They have the most difficult of jobs and deserve to not be put at risk when they are so vital to the community’s welfare.