Chris Puglia
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 11/02) - If you hear sirens or see flashing lights while driving, get off the road.

When emergency vehicles are responding to a call, they are moving quickly for a reason -- and it is a motorist's responsibility under territorial law to get out of the way.

However, in some cases emergency vehicles are being impeded by drivers who are not yielding to them.

"It happens off and on. Every response is different," said Fire Chief Mick Beauchamp.

"Sometimes people have trouble moving over, or they don't hear us coming. It's an ongoing problem."

The NWT Motor Vehicles Act states that failing to yield to an emergency vehicle can result in a charge that will result in a mandatory court appearance.

"On the side of public safety, police vehicles, fire trucks and ambulances that cannot respond quickly to an emergency is an extremely serious matter that may result in injury or death," Sgt. Al McCambridge of Yellowknife RCMP said in a press release designed to get the message out.

Cpl. Mike Brandford of the Yellowknife RCMP said he hasn't heard of any complaints from RCMP members regarding motorist purposely failing to yield right.

"We're not saying it's deliberate," said Beauchamp.

Motorists are advised that when they approach an emergency vehicle responding to a call they pull to the right-hand side of the road and stop.

If the right side of the road is not accessible the vehicle should be pulled over to the nearest side of the road.