Are police officers and ambulance drivers allowed to speed / go through lights?

I think they are exempt in the case of an emergency but they have to follow certain regulations to do so (ie: have lights and sirens going, slow and ensure they can do so safely).

I certainly don’t believe they can be charged for law breaking by doing so if they follow their own rules and guidelines.

Like @Rachienz said, it’s only in an emergency.
Outside of that, they can get in some serious trouble for abusing their power.

If there’s not an emergency, it’s breaking the law. I see cops in my city do it all the time, and it pisses me off unbelievably. It always makes me wonder in what other ways they choose to abuse their power.

Yes they can if they are acting in their official capacity and according to their depts. guidelines.

Unfortunately, this has at times resulted in the death or serious injury to other motorists and has precipitated much controversy over high speed police chases for anything other than violent felons.

Should it cost an innocent person their life because the cops got caught up in the heat of the chase over someone merely guilty of a traffic violation?

Around here, cops blow through red lights ALL THE TIME. it pisses me off. if they’re on their way to a call, then ok yes, GO. but usually they fly through the red light with their lights flashing, then turn them off and pull into the gas station for a donut (i’m assuming). this happens literally on a daily basis around here. i don’t understand why they are allowed to do it, especially because around here there are a lot of low visibility intersections, but ah, they are above the law, so they do what they want.

I see that often too, is there perhaps any way that a civilian can pull over an officer and demand his badge number?
:D

@haze014 DONT WORRY ill try it next time i see it which will likely be tomorrow morning

@deni Hehe, cut him off and scream at him to pull over. :P

only in an emergency. if they did this outside of an emergency, they would commit infractions just like everybody else. it is also part of our StVO (traffic regulations) that when an ambulance/police car/firetruck approaches from behind with sirens and lights on, that all others must slow down and drive to the side of the road to make way. is this also true in the US?

I’m not sure if it’s withing traffic regulation, but everyone pulls to the side… Except for assholes.

yeah last night i was at a red light and a cop car comes zooming up behind me, lights on, so i pull over to the side and he breezes through the intersection then turns off his lights and continues on. again, every day occurance. but it was a pain for me to pull off to the side…next time, i will catch up to him and rear end him. i see no possible negative consequences.

@deni None whatsoever. :)