Security vehicles must have right of way in emergencies

WHILE drivers ought to know they should give right of way to emergency vehicles such as ambulances, fire engines and police vans, it seems the same respect is not given to security company personnel.

‘It’s a problem all companies like ours encounter,’ said Chris Botha, owner of SWAT Security.

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‘People don’t seem to appreciate that when we are on the road, with our lights and sirens on, racing to an incident scene, it’s important other drivers move over to let us through.

‘And it may, literally, be a life-and-death situation, where there has been a home invasion and the panic button has been pressed.

‘A minute lost might make all the difference between protecting lives under attack, or even apprehending the criminals. Every second counts.’

Botha said that, as long as the vehicle belongs to a registered company and is authorised to use emergency hazard lights and sirens, it should be afforded the same ‘passage of privilege’ as SAPS or medical vehicles.

‘We are not cowboys, and it goes without saying that we still have to abide by traffic laws, such as stopping for red robots,’ he continued.

‘The lives of our drivers are also important and, while the vehicles are insured, a life can’t be replaced.

‘Perhaps one day that person who does not show road courtesy might find his own family in a potentially fatal situation, and only then will she or he realise what we are trying to get across to the public.’

He also warned that, given the dire economic situation nationally, petty crime is likely to increase.

‘Not all crimes are major; thieves will now steal food, or something they can easily sell, to stave off hunger.’

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