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Health & Fitness

Are You a Responsible Driver?

Driving while texting, drinking, applying make-up, and after drinking alcohol is not a responsible driver. When you see lights, pull to the right.

In the month of April, (MTPD) responded to 52 motor vehicle accidents (MVAs). Twelve of those accidents required an ambulance and/or fire company response and a tow truck. For the year, MTPD has responded to 258 MVAs.  

Remember, driving safe is your responsibility. In today’s busy society, everyone is in a rush to get to where they are going. On Monday morning, I was traveling the streets of Broomall and during that time I noticed three women putting on their make-up while driving.

I noticed over a dozen men, women and teenagers texting while driving, and I noticed just a pure lack of consideration for others on the road. The road rage between two of those drivers was enough to be fearful of both the drivers. 

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The other interesting fact that I witness is during my time responding to emergency calls. Some drivers have no idea what to do when an emergency vehicle approaches–some people stop dead in the middle of the road, some people decide to pull in to oncoming traffic, and some just plain ignore the lights and siren and race the emergency vehicle down the road.

It’s pretty simple and it’s addressed in the Pennsylvania vehicle code. When you are approached by an emergency vehicle, pull off to the right and stop until that vehicle passes you, but be careful when pulling back in to the lane of travel for there could be another emergency vehicle behind the first.

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We, as emergency responders, are trained in Emergency Vehicle Operations, it is a required certification to volunteer or work in emergency services in Marple Township. We are trained in defensive driving techniques and how to use due caution when operating an emergency vehicle. Some people will say, “Wow, look how fast that ambulance or fire truck is going.”

The truth of the matter is that most of the time the emergency vehicle is traveling at the posted speed limit or maybe 5-10 mph over. It is the lights and siren that give the perception that we are traveling faster then we are as well as when given the right away, we are able to maneuver through traffic. 

Please use common sense when driving, either put the make-up on before leaving home or when you arrive at your destination. Please DO NOT text and drive: your life, your neighbors' lives, and our children’s lives are at stake. If the phone call or message is that important, pull over, complete your conversation, and then proceed with your driving responsibilities. And most of all NEVER drink and drive!

Please familiarize yourself with the code below.

Pennsylvania Code
Title 75 - VEHICLES
Chapter 33 - Rules of the Road in General
3325 - Duty of driver on approach of emergency vehicle. 3325.  Duty of driver on approach of emergency vehicle.       

(a)  General rule.--Upon the immediate approach of an emergency vehicle making use of an audible signal and visual signals meeting the requirements and standards set forth in     regulations adopted by the department, the driver of every other vehicle shall yield the right-of-way and shall immediately drive to a position parallel to, and as close as possible to, the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway clear of any intersection and shall stop and remain in that position until the emergency vehicle has passed, except when otherwise directed by a police officer or an appropriately attired person authorized to direct, control or regulate traffic. On one-way roadways, a driver may comply by driving to the edge or curb which is nearest to the lane in which he is traveling.

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