Many ambulances in Nghe An province overuse their sirens on the road.
Many ambulance drivers, even when not on duty transporting or picking up patients, still use emergency signals, sirens, and flashing lights while on the road.
Numerous violations
Recently, the Nghe An Traffic Police have continuously detected and fined many cases of ambulance drivers abusing priority signals, using sirens and flashing lights improperly while driving on the road (using these devices even when not carrying patients).
Typically, at approximately 8:15 PM on February 12, 2025, while on duty on National Highway 1A, at kilometer 445+500, a task force from the Dien Chau Traffic Police Station spotted an ambulance with license plate 37A-293.18, driven by NHS (residing in Dien Phu commune, Dien Chau district), continuously flashing its emergency lights and blaring its siren despite not carrying a patient. After stopping the vehicle for inspection, the Dien Chau Traffic Police Station issued an administrative penalty and temporarily confiscated the driver's license.
For example, on February 13, 2025, traffic police also detected two cases of ambulance drivers violating regulations by using priority signals improperly. Specifically, at 1:15 PM, Traffic Police Team No. 1, while on duty on National Highway 48, stopped and inspected an ambulance with license plate 37B-026.05 driven by PHN (born in 1963), residing in Thai Hoa town, Nghe An province. The inspection revealed that the permit to use the priority signal device had expired. The team proceeded to draw up a report and temporarily confiscate the driver's license.
Shortly afterwards, at approximately 4:30 PM on February 13, 2025, while patrolling at Km2+600 on National Highway 46B, Road Traffic Police Team No. 5 spotted an ambulance with license plate 37B-032.75 driven by TVP (born in 1991), residing in Muong Ngoc commune, Que Phong district, showing signs of violating traffic regulations. They signaled the vehicle to stop for inspection.
At the time of inspection, the ambulance was displaying its emergency signaling device but there was no one inside. The ambulance driver also could not prove that he was using the emergency signaling device while on duty.
Recognizing that the driver's use of the emergency signaling device in this case was against regulations, Road Traffic Police Team No. 5 issued a report and imposed an administrative fine on the ambulance driver, while also temporarily confiscating his driver's license as per regulations.
Strict action is needed.
According to Article 27 of the 2024 Law on Traffic Order and Safety, priority vehicles in traffic include: fire trucks of the Fire and Rescue Police and fire trucks of other forces mobilized for firefighting; vehicles of military, police and prosecutorial forces on urgent duty; convoys escorted by traffic police; ambulances on emergency duty; dike maintenance vehicles; vehicles on rescue, relief, disaster relief, or epidemic response duty as prescribed by law; and funeral processions.
The fact that ambulances are given priority (third priority) when on emergency duty demonstrates the humane nature of the law. However, the blatant use of emergency lights by many ambulance drivers when not on duty has caused public outrage, especially among road users, and reduces the effectiveness of the legal regulation on yielding to priority vehicles.
In reality, there are currently many ambulances, bearing various types of white and blue license plates, and almost all of them constantly blare their sirens while in traffic, making it difficult for people to know which vehicles truly need priority and should yield to them. Whether these ambulances are actually performing emergency medical duties can only be determined by inspections by the relevant authorities.
In fact, there have been cases of using ambulances as a cover for committing crimes. Specifically, on the night of May 31, 2022, after a period of surveillance and investigation, the Quy Hop District Police discovered and arrested Phan Thanh Lam (born in 1984), residing in Kim Son town (Que Phong district), for illegally transporting narcotics.
Specifically, to conceal his criminal activities, Phan Thanh Lam used a private ambulance to transport drugs under the guise of driving an ambulance to take patients to the emergency room. Lam took advantage of the priority status of the vehicle to easily navigate the roads. When discovered, Lam even drove his car into the arresting officers in an attempt to escape, but failed.
Given the current situation where many ambulance drivers misuse priority signals while driving, some opinions suggest that, in addition to public awareness campaigns, authorities need to strengthen inspections and strictly penalize those who misuse priority signals.
According to a representative from the Traffic Police Department of the Provincial Police, the 2024 Law on Traffic Order and Safety stipulates the following prohibited acts: Using the privileges of a priority vehicle when not performing duties as prescribed by law; installing and using priority signal devices in violation of the law.
According to the 2024 Law on Traffic Order and Safety, ambulances are only given priority when transporting or picking up emergency patients; they must have flashing red lights when on duty; they have the right to proceed ahead of other vehicles at intersections from any direction; they are not subject to speed limits; they are allowed to proceed regardless of traffic lights, enter the opposite lane, and use other accessible lanes; however, on highways, they are only allowed to enter the opposite lane in the emergency stopping lane; and they must obey the instructions of traffic controllers and temporary traffic signs.
If an ambulance is not on duty, it will not be entitled to priority because it is being used for an improper purpose. During the period of misuse, if the ambulance uses its siren, runs red lights, or commits other traffic violations, it will be subject to administrative penalties as prescribed by law...