"Dobrobut" urges Ukrainians to give way to ambulances

The medical network “Dobrobut”, with the support of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, has launched an awareness campaign titled "Continue Life! Yield to Ambulances!" The goal is to raise social responsibility and driver awareness about the importance of giving way to ambulances.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, one in four drivers ignores the rules of yielding to ambulances. In 2022, approximately 20% of drivers were recorded violating the rules of prioritizing vehicles with special signals.

Under regulations approved by the government in December 2020, ambulance response time in Ukrainian cities should be 10-20 minutes, depending on the type of call — critical or urgent. Exceeding this time due to traffic congestion is allowed but only in up to 25% of critical cases and 15% of urgent cases. However, it is often difficult for ambulance crews to meet these standards because drivers do not yield at busy intersections or in traffic jams, even when the siren is on.

Every minute that emergency services spend on the road can be critical for the patient being transported to the hospital or the one awaiting help. Losing even one minute can drastically reduce a person’s chances of survival, especially in critical cases.

“In emergency medicine, there are no ‘minor conditions’ because every condition has a limited window for assistance. For instance, in suspected strokes, there is the so-called ‘therapeutic window’ during which doctors can restore blood flow to the affected vessel. This time is counted from the onset of symptoms, not from the ambulance's arrival. This means that if you see an ambulance with lights and sirens on the road, it is likely carrying a critical patient for whom every minute matters. For the family that called the ambulance, the wait feels like an eternity. The life of a loved one depends on the timely arrival of emergency care. So remember, if you don’t let an ambulance pass today, it may not reach you tomorrow”, said Olga Adamenko, head of emergency care at the “Dobrobut” medical network.

The social campaign kicked off with a video carrying the slogan "Continue Life! Yield to Ambulances!" The video highlights how the minutes spent in traffic can either stop or save a life.

The initiative has gained support from cinema chains such as Multiplex and Oscar, which will show the video at the beginning of movie screenings. Media partners include Suspilne, LB.ua, Babel, Gazeta.ua, УП.Життя, Ти Київ.

Future plans for the campaign include a series of educational videos created in collaboration with driving schools on how to respond to ambulances on the road.