Three important questions were raised pertaining to armed response vehicles and emergency vehicles:
Questions
My question is:
1.Can a armed response vehicle be registered as a emergency vehicle?
2. Does armed response vehicles have the right to exceed speed limits? (registered? or unregistered?)
3. Are armed response vehicles allowed to have the gizwak/clear/white lights…? (not coloured – clear/ white in colour)
I would really appreciate the answers to these questions.
Answers – Our Road Safety Experts provided the answers to these questions:
Question 1: There is no definition of emergency vehicle in the Act or Regulations. When the The National Road Traffic Amendment Act, 2008 has been assented to by the President but not yet promulgated. When that is concluded the Regulations will be amended for a addition of definitions for response vehicles. At this stage only fire-fighting response and emergency medical response vehicles are included.
Question 2: No they may not speed. Section 60 of the Act prescribes that certain drivers may exceed the general speed limit. These are drivers of fire-fighting vehicles, rescue vehicles, or ambulances while carrying out their duties. It also includes traffic officers and persons engaged in civil protection as contemplated in any ordinance in terms of section3 of the Civil Protection Act, 1977. These vehicle must be fitted with a siren and the siren and identification lamps shall be in operation while speeding.
Question 3: They may only have a lens bar or lamps emitting an intermittently-flashing diffused white light in any direction and may have a notice illuminated by a white light with the word ‘SECURITY’ or the name of the owner in black letters. The lamps may not be capable of emitting a rotating or strobe light. (Regulation 176). The owner of the vehicle must be registered in terms of the security act as a security officer and the driver must also be a security officer as defined in section 1 of the security act.
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