CCTV footage shows the moment a motorist crosses lanes straight in front of an "on-call" ambulance
Surrey Police have shared footage of a road traffic collision which took place in Glasgow, which saw a motorist suddenly pull across oncoming traffic, resulting in a head-on smash with an 'on-call' ambulance.
Using their official Twitter account, @SurreyRoadCops, officers highlighted the dangers of not looking before committing to a manoeuvre.
A spokesperson for the force said: "Earlier we tweeted about road users needing better observation and planning.
"The footage clearly shows how poor some motorists observations are - image the consequences if the ambulance had been a biker.
"Don't glance - LOOK before any manoeuvre."
The tweet triggered a debate over who was responsible for the collision, with some even suggesting the ambulance driver could have done more to avoid the smash.
One Twitter user said in reply: "That could also apply to the ambulance before overtaking at speed. Whoever was waiting for it was unlucky."
But a spokesperson for the force challenged that theory, saying: "So it's partially the fault of the ambulance driver who has an exemption for speed, was on the correct side of the road and was flashing like a Christmas tree?
"We'd expect a driver to see a vehicle coming (even without flashing lights) on a road like that and not turn across it."
Another Twitter user suggested: "Surely the ambulance could have gone the other side of the car (ie. go right, not left)? Easy to say as an armchair back seat driver watching just a few seconds of video of course, but that looked the better option from the start, didn't it?"
According to discussions on the Twitter feed, the driver of the blue car was a 90-year-old man, sparking a debate on whether drivers in their later years should undergo more frequent tests, especially eye exams.
A driving instructor wrote on the feed: "I am a driving instructor and it infuriates me that the only eye tests you have to have is the one done before your first lesson with your instructor and the one before the driving test. All drivers should have their eyes tested every two years in my opinion."
According to a report by Northumberland Gazette, over 70’s could be banned from night-time driving under possible new DVLA plans, which are currently in the discussion stages.
It says anyone over the age of 70 with a health condition which could impact their driving ability will have to apply for what is called a “graduate driving licence”. The report says restrictions such as enforcing a 20 to 30 mile radius maximum journey from the home address of such a licence holder, as well as banned on any driving after dark.
Whether such plans eventually come to fruition, we’ll just have to wait and see.
