Ambulance racing through crowded Kerala traffic and people giving way: You don't see this anywhere in India!

Indian roads are chock-a-block with traffic on any given day. On top of that most of the highways and city roads are disorganized and people do not follow lane driving. Emergency services like ambulances, fire trucks and police cars do not get the way to go ahead and respond to critical situations. We often get to know about ambulances getting stuck in traffic from various parts of India. Here is something different that is inspiring.

What is happening here?

Here is a dashcam footage from Kerala that shows an ambulance cutting through the traffic like a hot knife. Most of the roads through Kerala are single-lane undivided roads. The ambulance can be seen speeding through the traffic and motorists can be seen giving way the emergency vehicle. It is highly unusual in India that we see people getting out of the way of the first-responders.

With the loud siren and the constant honk that we can hear in the video, the ambulance driver is alerting the motorists who are creating a way for the vehicle. It is truly unusual to see an emergency vehicle getting way like this in India. The speed of the ambulance is not known but it sure is driving at around 60 km/h and above.

While this may look unusual to most of us, Kerala has been setting an example to give way to emergency vehicles, especially ambulances. In the past, the government had set up green corridors to allow vital organs to be transported in ambulances. The green corridor is set up by the city cops and the citizens and it provides a traffic-free getaway for the vehicle. Last year, an ambulance in Kerala covered 516 km in just 7 hours while transporting an organ.

The frequent set-up of “green corridors” have spread the awareness about ambulances in the state. People have become self-aware and whenever they see or hear an emergency vehicle passing by, they make sure to make way.

Also, this is not the isolated instance where the ambulance was given way. There are numerous videos online that show how Kerala traffic makes way for ambulances.

Time is essential

The first responders at any emergency scenario need to reach the spot as soon as possible. Losing time on the road translates into losing initiative while saving someone’s life. It is essential to give way to such emergency services on the road. It can be a deciding factor for a victim’s life.

There is a provision of imposing a fine of Rs. 10,000 on any vehicle that does not give way to the emergency services in India. However, we seldom see such rules being put in place to penalise the culprits. It is imperative for every road user to understand the situation and give way to emergency responders.

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