Ambulance priority: Motorists' attitude needs to change (Forum letter)

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http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/ambulance-priority-motorists-attitude-needs-change-20130927

I read with interest the prospect of a traffic priority system for ambulances in Singapore ("Plan to turn traffic lights green for ambulances"; Sept 18).

Just two days before the report appeared, I had been amazed at how a fire jeep, with sirens wailing, had to queue to make a turn at two consecutive traffic lights.

This is a big contrast to what I observed in Belgium, where the moment a siren is heard, all drivers move their vehicles aside, some even onto kerbs, to open up a path for emergency vehicles. And all vehicles stay put until the emergency vehicle has passed by.

At intersections, all traffic comes to a stop to give way to emergency vehicles, even when the lights are in the motorists' favour. There is no need for a special traffic light system; everyone knows what to do.

In Singapore, however, traffic proceeds as usual, as if the sirens mean nothing.

We do not just need a priority traffic light system; we need a drastic change in motorists' attitude or, more likely, new traffic laws.

Amy Loh (Ms)