This week, we’re looking at how you can help an emergency vehicle reach the scene of an urgent situation quickly and safely. Here’s IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding Richard Gladman, to guide you through.
Whenever you hear the sound of an emergency siren mute your music so you can work out where the noise is coming from. Be prepared to plan your next manoeuvre if the emergency vehicle requires your help to get past.
Be sure to pull over and stop where it is safe to do so, giving the emergency vehicle a wide enough berth. Make your intentions clear and certainly avoid blocking any major junctions or stopping in the middle of the road, on the brow of a hill or before a bend.
Avoid stopping on kerbs, pavements and verges as they may mask hazards, damage your vehicle or put pedestrians at risk.
The vehicle trying to pass may be a plain looking car with emergency warning equipment such as lights fitted to it – be prepared to assist in the same way.
Going through a red light or using a bus lane to make way for an emergency vehicle is in fact breaking the law and cameras have no discretion. Avoid this at all costs and be sure to stop only where it is legal and safe to do so.
Richard said: “Emergency lights are not always easily visible and the sirens can be heard from different directions so be as vigilant as possible. Motorcycles are also used by all emergency services and they may be hard to see – be prepared to respond and plan your route before acting.
Driver error cited in 117,000+ road accident casualties,
IAM calls for drivers to take responsibility.
Analysis by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has found that human
factors continue to significantly outweigh other reasons for crashes on British
roads, and have called again for drivers to look on improving driving skills as
part of their lifelong personal development.
The figures from the Department
of Transport show that in 2014 driver/rider error or reaction were cited as
contributory factors in 74% of accidents, involving more than 117,000
casualties. Some 20,830 of these were in London alone.
Police can cite up to
six factors for the cause of each accident they report.
The second highest
factor was ‘behaviour or inexperience’ which was cited as a contributory factor
in 26% of accidents, accounting for more than 40,000 casualties. In London the
number was 9,508.
The main contributory factors were (reference
1):
Contributory factor reported in accident/Number of casualties/Percentage
of accidents cited in
Driver-rider error or reaction/117,524/74%
Behaviour
or inexperience/40,778/26%
Injudicious action/39,354/25%
Impairment or
distraction/21,916/14%
Road environment contributed/20,253/13%
Vehicle
defects/3,230/2%
Neil Greig, IAM director of policy and research, said:
“People often blame their car, the road, or the other driver for the accidents
and near misses that they have. These figures show that in the vast majority of
cases, it’s the driver or rider themselves who is to blame.
“Changing
attitudes is the key factor when it comes to reducing the numbers of casualties
on our roads. People must accept responsibility for enhancing their own skills
and recognising their limitations. The first step towards that is to think
about advanced training and the right now you can get a free IAM taster session
at
www.iam.org.uk/lovedriving
He added: “It is not enough to leave people
to their own devices once they have passed their test. Like so many other areas
of life extra coaching pays dividends – and for a driver or rider, that means
keeping their skills fresh by continuous assessment.”
F-TYPE Gains All-Wheel Drive and Manual Transmission Options as the Range Grows from Six to 14 Derivatives
F-TYPE, Jaguar’s definitive full-size sports car, receives new powertrain and driveline options to broaden the range from six to 14 models
Torque on demand all-wheel drive (AWD) extends the F-TYPE’s performance and dynamic capability on all road surfaces and in all conditions
In AWD form, the 550PS F-TYPE R Coupé will accelerate from 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds, with a limited top speed of 186mph
Intelligent Driveline Dynamics (IDD) control strategy developed in-house to exploit maximum performance potential of AWD traction while retaining rear-wheel drive character
AWD F-TYPE models gain a unique bonnet design featuring a deeper power bulge and distinctive new vents
Six-speed manual transmission option for rear-wheel drive supercharged V6 models delivers the purest sports car driving experience
Jaguar’s 550PS supercharged V8 comes to the F-TYPE R Convertible – available in both rear- and all-wheel drive configurations
Electric Power Assisted Steering enables even greater precision and feel and reduces CO2 emissions by up to 4g/km on the EU combined cycle
Torque Vectoring by Braking improves agility and – standard on R derivatives – is now available on V6 models
Sport Design Packs for Coupé and Convertible models enhance exterior styling and enable greater personalisation
New InControl Touch and InControl Touch Plus infotainment systems feature fast, intuitive operation and support Apple and Android smartphone connectivity – and even remote engine starts
The new 2016 model year F-TYPE range goes on sale from Spring 2015
