DAYS out from the October long weekend, Canberra police and the Emergency Service Agency is reminding drivers to slow to 40km/h when passing stationary or slow moving emergency services vehicles displaying a blue or red flashing lights.

After it was introduced as a law in 2018, police have issued 10 Traffic Infringement Notices (TINs) and 41 cautions for drivers who passed an emergency vehicle too fast. The infringement notice penalty for this offence is $257 and two demerit points.

Detective acting superintendent of traffic operations Marcus Boorman says the 40km/h speed limit has been adopted to ensure consistency with the speed applying around other vulnerable road users such as in school zones and at road works.

“Drivers are generally obeying the new regulations and slowing down to pass incidents to ensure that emergency service workers get to go home to their families at the end of the day,” he says

“For everyone’s safety, be aware of your surroundings, concentrate when driving, always look ahead and please slow down when approaching emergency services vehicles with their lights flashing.

“If the emergency vehicle is on the other side of a divided road, separated by a median strip, you do not need to slow down.”

Drivers are also reminded double demerits will be in place for the Labour Day long weekend from tomorrow (Friday, October 4) to Monday (October 7).