What does it mean when a ambulance has its lights on with no siren?

Answer 1

It could mean several things, a few I know are: You have to pay extra to be transported with lights and siren's. If it is not a life threatening emergency they tend to not put on the lights. However they also do not put on the lights for someone who has passed away.

Answer 2

Activation of lights OR siren indicates that there is an emergency. Please be courteous and assume nothing else or lives can be jeopardized.

While local laws may vary, the general rule of thumb is...

1. All drivers and pedestrians should attempt to safely move to the side of the road (moving right is typically accepted unless the ambulance is using the right lane to pass).

2. After safely moving from the lane of travel, bring your vehicle to a safe stop. This applies whether the ambulance is behind you or approaching from the other direction. If the ambulance is approaching you and has to turn left, waiting until the last minute will delay their response or cause you to hard brake. Hard brakes may cause you to be rear-ended.

3. Never speed up in attempt to outrun any emergency vehicle.

4. Do not panic and slam on the brakes.

5. Do not assume that the ambulance should go around you. While transporting a patient, medical procedures are occurring in the back. Changing lanes creates unnecessary motion that can delay or prevent procedures from being completed correctly.

That said, if the lights are activated without a siren, it is possible that someone just forgot to turn the switch off. It's uncommon, but it does happen sometimes! Don't fail to yield right of way if you see this though, because:

1. We do what is best for the patient. It may still be an emergency. The siren may have deactivated en route to an emergency or while transporting. The best decision for the patient may be to carefully transport with lights only, instead of waiting on another ambulance that is far away.

2. We try to keep everyone happy. Some communities complain about sirens, so they are used intermittently in attempt to please the public. This is especially true in residential areas during late night hours.

Hope this helps you help us help others. Take care!

Answer 3

Signing for or accepting a citation from a law enforcement officer:

Answer 4

It means that the person in the ambulance is not critical, but they still need to hurry and get to a hospital..so it's just a "let us through" kind of thing.