Boost for emergency services

In a first for Victoria, Emergency Services are undertaking a six-month trial of a system that allows emergency vehicles to automatically request and receive green lights prior to approaching an intersection, clearing the traffic ahead.

The aim of the system is to allow police, fire and medical vehicles to reach their destination faster, travel more safely, lower the risk of accidents and protect lives and property. The new system will also provide safer working conditions for emergency response crews who are prone to job related stress triggered by difficult traffic conditions. So far, the system has been used in 500 cases with encouraging results. Response times have been reduced by an estimated 20%.