Draft law for the regulation of the rescue lane in traffic. What clear obligation for drivers will be introduced in the Highway Code
The USR deputies submitted a bill to the Parliament that clearly establishes what drivers must do in conditions of traffic jams or intense traffic, so as to facilitate the passage of emergency vehicles – ambulances, fire engines or police vehicles.
“The current form of the Road Code does not clearly establish what drivers must do in conditions of traffic jams or intense traffic in order to facilitate the passage of emergency vehicles – ambulances, fire engines or police vehicles. USR deputies Dumitru Văduva and Ovidiu Paraschivescu have submitted a project to clarify the legislation and to align it with European provisions, given that any delay of the emergency crews can cost lives”, it is stated in a press release press sent on Saturday by USR and quoted by Agerpres agency.
USR deputy, Dumitru Văduva, stated that many drivers already take into account this practice, but the lack of a legal basis creates confusion and delays.
“The project eliminates ambiguity and establishes clear rules for all traffic participants, as well as sanctions for non-compliance. The goal is simple: faster interventions by emergency crews and, implicitly, greater chances of rescue. Through the changes we propose, Romania aligns its legislation with European standards and transforms an already existing practice into an obligation that saves lives,” he said.
USR deputy, Ovidiu Paraschivescu, mentioned that “behind every siren that sounds in traffic is a race against the clock, and a few seconds can mean the difference between a heart that starts beating again and a tragedy”.
The initiators of this project state that the rules now provided in the Highway Code in the case of the approach and passage of vehicles with priority traffic regime and with light and sound warning devices in operation can only be applied on public roads without heavy traffic or traffic jams. For heavy traffic and traffic jams, as happens especially in cities, no clear rules are provided for drivers.
“The draft law comes to correct this situation, introducing into the Highway Code, as an obligation, what many drivers now do on their own initiative: in the case of roads with only one traffic lane per direction: drivers must pull as far to the right as possible and leave space on the left, in the case of roads with two or more lanes: drivers in the lane next to the road axis must pull as far to the left as possible, and all others to the right. Failure to comply the obligation regarding the formation of the rescue lane will constitute a contravention, as well as the movement through such a lane by drivers who do not have the right”, the USR press release also states.
