Bengaluru: When you hear an ambulance siren cut through Bengaluru’s traffic chaos, move left, indicate, and keep the right lane clear. This coordinated movement from all the motorists on road can help save lives.To drive home this life-saving message, around 300 people took part in a walkathon in the city Saturday, urging road users to keep the right lane clear for emergency vehicles.
The walkathon, titled Rakshak Rally, was organised by the Rotary Club of Bengaluru HSR in collaboration with RKSH Impact, with support from the Bengaluru traffic police. Participants, largely students, walked along Hosur Road, starting from The Oxford College of Engineering near the Silk Board junction. Carrying placards and raising slogans such as “Leave Right Lane for Ambulance”, they appealed for uniform road behaviour to ensure faster and more predictable movement of emergency vehicles.Organisers said while motorists often intend to give way to ambulances, the absence of a common, standard practice results in confusion. Vehicles tend to scatter in different directions, forcing ambulances to zig-zag through traffic and lose precious time. “The message is simple — move left, indicate, and keep the right lane clear. Uniformity can save lives,” an organiser said.In Bengaluru, ambulances often take 30 to 40 minutes to travel just five kilometres during peak hours, severely impacting survival chances. With no dedicated emergency lanes, public cooperation becomes crucial. Organisers said a behavioural shift among motorists could potentially double or even triple ambulance speeds during emergencies, without the need for new infrastructure.They pointed out India records close to two lakh road accident deaths every year, and studies suggest over 30% of these lives could be saved if medical response time is reduced by 10–15 minutes. “Saving lives doesn’t always require big reforms or investments. Sometimes, it begins with a simple, collective decision to act responsibly,” an organiser said.
