With the May long weekend in British Columbia fast approaching, paramedics and road safety experts are urging the public to be aware and follow the rules of the road.
BC EHS public information officer Brian Twaites said the long weekend does get busier, and paramedics do see an increase in motor vehicle incidents.
"More people are out on the road, the weather's improving, and people want to get out and enjoy this beautiful province," he said.
Before the long weekend, paramedics are hoping to get their message out regarding distracted driving. A big focus for paramedics this year is having people yield for emergency vehicles, whether that's paramedics, an ambulance, police, or firefighters.
"When we have our lights and sirens engaged, we're trying to get somewhere in a hurry to help someone as fast as we can," said Twaites.
The rules in B.C. state that drivers need to pull to the closest curb and stop when emergency vehicles are approaching.
“When in doubt, pull to the right and stop,” he said. “Don’t just slam on the brakes.”
If there are multiple lanes and a curb on either side, vehicles can allow emergency vehicles to drive down the centre.
Twaites pointed out that this rule in B.C. can be confusing for people.
"Whereas pretty much everywhere else in the world is just pull to the right."
Another tip for drivers: turn on your turn signal if an emergency vehicle is approaching from the rear.
"You turning on your indicator to tell me that you're going to pull over to the right side of the road, as the operator of the emergency vehicle, I now know where you're going to go, and it makes it safer for us and for you as well," Twaites said.
He's also reminding people that it is everyone’s job to yield to emergency vehicles, not just drivers.
“It also applies to pedestrians and cyclists... you need to please yield,” he said.
People should also be aware that emergency vehicles often travel in packs, so there might be fire, police and ambulance.
"If an emergency vehicle drives by you and you've pulled over before you pull back into traffic, check your mirrors, have a good look around and make sure there's not another emergency vehicle coming as well," he added.
When responding to calls, it can be unnerving for first responders on the side of highways or roads — he’s asking people to be considerate and watch their high rate of speed.
At the same time as BC EHS' awareness initiative, Road Safety at Work is rolling out a provincewide campaign asking all drivers to be aware and keep their heads up while driving through work zones.
From 2015 to 2024, nine workers were killed and 276 were seriously injured enough to miss work, according to WorkSafeBC statistics.
Program director Trace Acres hopes drivers will slow down, pay attention and obey traffic control personnel.
“Not only do they need to keep doing those things to keep roadside workers safe, but they need to do it to keep themselves safe as well,” he said.
It’s not just construction zones people need to watch for, but anyone working on the road.
“There are a lot of other occupations that may find themselves at the roadside at one time or another. They could be first responders, municipal workers, utility workers, tow truck drivers, movers, landscapers,” he said.
Mike Farnworth, Minister of Transportation and Transit, said drivers must be always paying attention to the road and to their surroundings, without any distractions from phones.
"With driver care and attention, every roadside worker can return safely to their family and friends at the end of the day," said Farnworth.
Their provincewide campaign will run through the summer and will be paired up with RCMP enforcement events.
