Ambulance with flashing lights and siren: what do you do?

By Mustafa Aybek · maker of Rijtheorie Hub · sources: RVV 1990, cbr.nl · last updated 2026-09-07

An ambulance, police car or fire engine with flashing lights and a siren is an emergency vehicle with priority (voorrangsvoertuig). All other road users must let it go first, whatever the signs or traffic lights say.

Blue flashing light plus a wailing siren: that's someone fighting for a life right now. Your heart instantly says 'aside!' — you steer calmly to the right and clear a wide lane like a red carpet.

Emergency vehicle behind you

Check your mirror before you panic. Move calmly to the right and keep your speed under control: an emergency stop in the middle of the road helps nobody — making room does.

Priority vehicles and the bus pulling away from a stop

• Priority only with blue flashing light AND siren (Article 50)
• Blue light alone = no priority, normal rules apply
• Make room: move right, slow down or stop
• May cross a red light only if it is safe
• Built-up area: let a departing line bus merge (Article 43)
• Outside the built-up area the bus has no priority

Exceptions and pitfalls

• Only when it shows BOTH the blue flashing light AND the siren at the same time is it a priority vehicle; a flashing light alone = NO priority.
• Making room is allowed, but not dangerously: running a red light or crossing a stop line to make room only if it can be done safely — otherwise wait.
• The bus priority applies ONLY inside the built-up area, and only if the bus indicates AND actually pulls away from the stop.
• Outside the built-up area the departing bus has NO priority — then normal 'who went first' applies.
• You remain responsible for your own manoeuvre; swerving blindly and causing a collision is on you.
• In Amsterdam trams and buses often pull away abruptly at stops — even if you formally have priority, anticipate and keep your distance.

Note

• Flashing lights without a siren do not make it an emergency vehicle with priority; the normal rules then apply.
• Making room does not mean running a red light or driving onto the junction: choose a safe spot and stop, so the vehicle can get past.

Want to practise? Try the free questions on right of way, with an explanation for every answer.