Slow down and move over
Changes to Nova Scotia's Motor Vehicle Act came into force on May 1 2010. The changes are intended to make the roads safer for emergency personnel such as police officers and firefighters.
The new law says that when passing an emergency vehicle stopped on the shoulder or road with its lights flashing you must:
- slow down to 60 kilometres per hour, or keep to the posted speed limit, if it is less than 60 km/hour; and
- move over into the lane furthest away from the emergency vehicle, if the lane beside you is travelling in the same direction and you can do so safely. You must still slow down to 60 km/hour or keep to the posted speed limit if there is no other lane moving in the same direction as you. However, you are not required to move into an oncoming traffic lane.
You are not required to slow down or move over if the road is divided by a median and the emergency vehicle is on the other side of the median.
An emergency vehicle is not just an ambulance. It also includes includes a police vehicle, firefighting vehicle, conservation officers' vehicle, and motor vehicle or motor carrier inspectors' vehicle.
Current fines for a first offence under this law are between $348.95 and $693.95. You'll find further information on the Nova Scotia Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal website at: http://novascotia.ca/tran/roadsafety/keepmesafeQA.asp
May 2010, updated April 2015