Drivers obstructing emergency vehicles to face fines

Drivers who fail to make way for ambulances and fire trucks will be punished with fines of up to 200,000 won ($176.9) beginning late this week, as part of efforts to save more lives, the disaster management agency said Monday.

The move comes after the government revised laws in June to make it mandatory for drivers to give way to emergency vehicles performing potentially life-saving activities beginning Thursday, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Fire & Disaster Headquarters.

To crack down on such violators, the agency said it has equipped its 309 fire trucks with video recorders.

If a fire truck does not arrive at the scene of a fire within 10 minutes upon receiving the first report, the death toll tends to rise nearly 2.5 times on average compared to less than 10 minutes in transit, according to the agency.

The agency said it plans to provide some 110,000 households of disabled people, orphans and senior citizens living alone with basic fire-fighting equipment such as fire extinguishers and sensors by 2014. (Yonhap)