Private emergency vehicles

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HavocXphere

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Lately I've been seeing more private company emergency vehicles operating as if they are police / ambulances. Example.

I'm curious as to the legal situation here? May they legally do this?

Don't me wrong - personally I'm OK with EMTs going whatever it takes to get to an emergency fast...just curious as to the legal framework they are operating under.
 
As far as I know as long as the vehicle is classified as am ambulance, it can act as such in accordance with the law. Private police services? I'm not sure if you can classify your vehicle as a police vehicle whilst not being a police official.
 
XennoX said:
As far as I know as long as the vehicle is classified as am ambulance, it can act as such in accordance with the law. Private police services? I'm not sure if you can classify your vehicle as a police vehicle whilst not being a police official.
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Registered, methinks.
 
National Road Traffic Act, 1996 (Act No. 93 of 1996)

Chapter IX : Road traffic signs and general speed limit

60. Certain drivers may exceed general speed limit

1) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 59, the driver of a fire-fighting vehicle, a fire-fighting response vehicle, a rescue vehicle, an emergency medical response vehicle or an ambulance who drives such vehicle in the carrying out of his or her duties, a traffic officer or a person appointed in the African Police Service Act, 1995 (Act No. 68 of 1995) who drives a vehicle in the carrying out of his or her duties or any person issued with the necessary authorization and driving a vehicle, may exceed the applicable general speed limit: Provided that -
a) he or she shall drive the vehicle concerned with due regard to the safety of other traffic; and
b) in the case of any such fire-fighting vehicle, fire-fighting response vehicle, rescue vehicle, emergency medical response vehicle, ambulance or any vehicle driven by a person issued with the necessary authorisation, such vehicle shall be fitted with a device capable of emitting a prescribed sound and with an identification lamp, as prescribed, and such device shall be so sounded and such lamp shall be in operation while the vehicle is driven in excess of the applicable general speed limit.
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According to the Act it would appear that if the driver has authority and the vehicle is fitted with the necessary equipment they can.
 
Ambulances pulled off road

THREE private ambulances have been pulled from service after Nelson Mandela Bay traffic authorities found that two were operating as “illegal ambulances” while the third was unroadworthy, with as many as 15 defects.

Ambulance providers Baymed EC and Trauma Net were warned on Monday to refrain from using the ambulances after it was discovered that two were registered as panel vans – one of which was unroadworthy – and a third was also unroadworthy.

One of the two Baymed EC ambulances was found to have 15 defects, including faulty brakes and seatbelts, a rusted undercarriage and three smooth tyres. The other was found to have no rear brakes, no parking brake and faulty lights.

A Trauma Net ambulance was found to be incorrectly registered as a panel van.

The move has prompted ambulance providers to claim that opposition companies in the metro, with ties to senior traffic department officials, are victimising them.

According to the National Road Traffic Act, all ambulances must be registered by the Transport Department as emergency vehicles after having been certified as safe to transport patients.

This allows them to use red lights and a siren when responding to emergencies.

Municipal spokesman Roland Williams said one of the Baymed ambulances was pulled over after jumping a red traffic light.

“This ambulance did not have its emergency lights or siren on – the driver was not on his way to an emergency … there was virtually no equipment in the ambulance.

“The officer then noticed that the vehicle was seemingly not in a roadworthy condition and [took it] for a roadworthy test. A total of 15 defects were found.”

On the same day, a traffic officer attending to an accident found two ambulances – from Trauma Net and Baymed – at the scene.

Both vehicles were taken for a standard roadworthy test, which the Baymed ambulance failed. Both ambulances were, however, found to be registered as panel vans.

Williams said the three vehicles were taken off the road but given back to the companies, and if they continued to use them, they would be impounded and the companies would face prosecution. – Gareth Wilson
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http://www.heraldlive.co.za/ambulances-pulled-road/
 
Have you peeps seen Nightwatch on 126 DSTV? These private security guys have roadblocks assisted by 1 SAPS member.

They do all the "can I see your license" and check your license disc looking and feeling all " powerful".

I really laughed hard but it got me thinking. Since when can a private security company/citizen ask questions like that?

Surely you need an official appointment card...

I would tell them to duck off.

But we all know how lazy our cops are, so the boytjies swoop in and feel important.
 
Private security can't... and if I ever got stopped at a roadblock by private security I'd tell him to take a hike and I would drive off.
 
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