When Should You Create an Emergency Corridor on the Road?

The emergency corridor for emergency services

Since 1 October 2020, every driver of a motor vehicle must give priority to priority vehicles in slow-moving or stationary traffic by clearing an emergency corridor.
What does this mean in practice?
Does this only apply on motorways, and does this rule also apply abroad? Our blogger Alain Dierckx answers these questions below.

The emergency corridor: what does the law say?

Article 9.8 of the Highway Code states that in the event of a traffic jam, drivers must form an emergency corridor to clear the way for priority vehicles.

The law requires this on public roads whose carriageway has at least two lanes in the same direction. This can apply to motorways or urban roads if they have at least two lanes in the same direction.

How do you create an emergency corridor?

On a two-lane road, drivers in the left lane must move as far left as possible and drivers in the right lane must move as far right as possible, creating an emergency lane between them.

On a road with more than two lanes, drivers in the left lane must move as far left as possible and drivers in all other lanes must move as far right as possible, creating an emergency lane next to the left lane.

Here is the explanatory video released by the Vias Institute when this new rule came into force (1 October 2020)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yp9IhltYmk

Which priority vehicles can use an emergency corridor?

Only priority vehicles, as defined in Article 37 of the Highway Code, may use the emergency lane. For example, police, firefighters, ambulances, civil protection... The nature of their task must, of course, justify their intervention.

What are the restrictions?

When an emergency corridor is created, a non-priority vehicle is not allowed to drive on the emergency lane, because it is essential that certain vehicles, such as tow trucks, can use this lane when called to an accident.

A cycle lane, a lane closed during rush hour, or a bus lane are also off-limits areas onto which drivers may not move. The only exception is when an approaching priority vehicle does not have enough room to pass. In that case, you may exceptionally make a small additional detour onto the emergency lane, the cycle lane or the bus lane, provided you are certain not to obstruct traffic or endanger another road user.

What is the purpose of an emergency corridor?

• The benefits are obvious. If emergency services are called to an accident or another incident on a public road, they will arrive at the scene more quickly. This means injured people can be treated or taken to hospital faster.
• Towing services can carry out their work in less time, and the same applies to clearing obstacles from the road, which resolves traffic jams more quickly.
• Finally, broken-down vehicles or debris that may be on the road will be cleared more quickly thanks to the free passage of priority vehicles.

Does the emergency corridor also apply abroad?

In some countries, this principle also applies. This is the case in Germany (where the emergency corridor is called "Rettungsgasse"), the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Switzerland.

Can motorcycles use the emergency corridor?

Motorcyclists are allowed to use the emergency corridor under two conditions.
The first condition is that they must ride at a maximum speed of 50 km/h, with a maximum speed difference of 20 km/h compared to other vehicles. So if other drivers are stationary, their maximum speed is 20 km/h.
The second condition is that no priority vehicle is following them.

Read our article on this topic: Motorcyclists and lane splitting: what are the rules?

A few tips

• Priority vehicles must be equipped with blue flashing lights and a siren, but note that they are not required to use them at all times. So you should always stay alert.
• Create an emergency corridor as soon as traffic starts forming a queue that forces vehicles to slow down, even if you don't hear or see an approaching priority vehicle.
• Don't stop in the queue if you see a priority vehicle approaching and the vehicle in front of you keeps moving. Stay aligned and continue driving carefully.
• Be careful not to endanger other road users if, exceptionally, you have to move onto the cycle lane or the bus lane.
• The fine for not complying with the emergency corridor rule can be up to €174.
• Once the traffic jam or queue clears, you must immediately move back to the middle of your lane.

Useful link: the Emergency Corridor FAQ from the Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport (SPF Mobilité et Transports):
https://www.code-de-la-route.be/media/file/b340e91e5090c56ee7d74caeb79bd98d1f35b0bc.pdf