By Helena Adeloju
A collision involving a police vehicle with sirens activated at the intersection of the Princes Highway and Toomuc Valley Road on Wednesday 21 June, comes just days after new road rules to protect emergency services worker were announced.
Pakenham police Senior Sergeant Nathan Prowd said the collision occurred about 4pm while police were on their way to an urgent job.
“The driver tried to cross the intersection thinking there was a big enough gap in the traffic,” he said. “The oncoming police vehicle tried to avoid the collision but was unable to do so,” he said.
Investigations into the incident are continuing.
Earlier this week the State Government announced that new road rules to protect emergency workers would begin from Saturday 1 July. The new rules will encourage drivers to take extra care when emergency vehicles are nearby.
According to the new rule, drivers must safely slow to 40km/h when passing a stationary or slow-moving emergency vehicle with flashing lights or a siren sounding.
After passing the vehicle, drivers should not increase their speed until reaching a safe distance from the scene of the emergency or the vehicle.
Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan said most people were doing the right thing but the new rule would ensure that keeping emergency services workers safe becomes everyone’s business.
“Emergency services workers are telling us that they feel in danger while they’re doing their job – we’ve listened to them and made these changes to protect the people who are out there protecting the community,” he said.
The new rule comes in response to a number of emergency workers have been killed and injured on Victorian roads after being struck by passing vehicles or debris.
A recent survey also found that almost one in five emergency service workers said they’d had four or more ‘near misses’ while stopped on the roadside over the past three years.
The new rule will apply to Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, Metropolitan Fire Brigade, County Fire Authority and State Emergency Service vehicles. It also applies to VicRoads Transport Safety Service vehicles with magenta flashing lights, with fines starting from $277 and a maximum court penalty of $793. No demerit points will apply.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Jill Hennessy said the new rule may mean people arrive a little later, but lives were more important.
“It’s a simple message – when you see flashing lights ahead slow to 40km/h to keep our emergency workers safe,” she said.
Current road rules do not require drivers to reduce speed or take other action when passing a stationary emergency or enforcement vehicle.
The rule is consistent with existing 40km/h speed limit requirements in other areas where vulnerable road users are present, including roadwork sites and school zones.
The changes are the result of extensive consultation with Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, Metropolitan Fire Brigade, Country Fire Authority, WorkSafe, Emergency Management Victoria, Department of Justice and Regulation, the Transport Accident Commission and RACV.
