PHUKET, THAILAND – A van driver tailgated an ambulance with flashing lights for minutes, then followed it through a red light in Koh Kaew.
The incident happened yesterday, 3 August. The ambulance from the Sakhu Tambon Administrative Organisation was rushing a patient to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town. The van with hazard lights on stuck to its bumper for a long stretch.
Van driver clings to ambulance bumper
The ambulance had its blue lights and siren blaring. The van driver pulled in directly behind the emergency vehicle. Even when the ambulance stopped at a red light in Koh Kaew to cross under emergency conditions, the van stayed right there.
After the stop, the van simply followed the ambulance through the red light. A video published online shows the whole risky move.
Ambulance driver films risky move
The ambulance driver noticed the close tailgating and tried to calm the situation by slowing down. He wanted to let the van overtake. But the driver stubbornly stayed glued to the bumper.
To warn others about the danger, the paramedic filmed the action as evidence. The footage quickly became a hot topic on social media. Users loudly asked why the van had its hazard lights on and whether the driver had any right to follow an emergency vehicle through a red light.
Public demands action
The online community reacted with widespread criticism and now calls for consequences. Many commenters urge the relevant authorities to investigate exactly what happened and determine if the driver broke traffic laws. It is unclear whether the van was officially on an emergency call.
The whole background to the stunt is the ambulance driver’s warning. He released the video to alert motorists about the dangers of tailgating ambulances. That practice creates extra hazards and massively raises the risk of accidents during emergency responses.
No injuries as van turns off
At the Bang Khu intersection, the van driver finally changed course. He turned right onto the bypass road while the ambulance continued steadily with the patient toward Vachira Phuket Hospital. No collision occurred and no one was hurt.
The identity of the reckless driver remains unknown. The ambulance driver hopes the footage will deter future copycats and sharpen awareness of the dangers of such behaviour.