Drivers driving alongside emergency vehicles with flashing lights must slow to 40 km per hour or face fines under a new law being introduced in Victoria.
From July 1, drivers face a fine of $277 or a maximum court penalty of $793 if they fail to slow to the new speed limit while passing a stationary or slow-moving emergency vehicle with lights flashing or a siren sounding, the state government said on Monday.
A recent survey found 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, Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said in a statement.
Roads Minister Luke Donellan said emergency workers have told the government they "feel in danger while they're doing their job".
These "often unrecorded" near misses have prompted the government to introduce a new 40km/h rule for cars passing emergency vehicles stopped with flashing lights or sirens sounding.
“We're making these changes so they can do their job without fear of being injured or killed by a passing vehicle," Ambulance Minister Jill Hennessy said.
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