It is an offence not to give way to an emergency vehicle. Under the Civil Defence Act, it is an offence to obstruct a person carrying out emergency duties. Offenders can be fined up to $5000, jailed for up to six months, or both.
Under the Road Traffic Act, obstruction of emergency vehicles responding to an emergency carries a fine of not more than $160 and four demerit points.
Offenders can be charged under both acts.
So why do we still see motorists not giving way to such vehicles? That is a tough question to answer. It may have to do with low civic-mindedness, or low awareness of the penalities of not giving way, or even low enforcement efforts.
Or a combination of one or more of these factors, as well as those best known to the errant motorists themselves.