Section 318 in The West Bengal Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989
318. Special rules applicable to Fire Brigade Vehicles belonging to the West Bengal Fire Service.
(1)Nothing contained in Chapter VIII of the Act except the provisions of sections 123, 125, 134 and 136 shall apply to the Fire Brigade Vehicles belonging to the West Bengal Fire Service :Provided that -(i)special type of horns preferably special mechanically or electrically operated "F" clarion bells not used by other motor vehicles, shall be used to give audible warning, and the same shall be rung continuously when the vehicle is proceeding to fire or other emergency, to ensure safety of other users of the road;(ii)the vehicles shall be well equipped with signalling devices. In making the signals specified in the Schedule to the Act, the driver shall give reasonable warning of his intentions to other users of the road before actually putting them into effect:(iii)the driver of the vehicle shall keep as much as to the left of the road as is consistent with the safety of the pedestrians and the vehicle shall not be driven on the footpath reserved for pedestrians. When the road is sufficiently broad, the vehicle shall not cross the centre line unless circumstances demand so or the vehicle is intended to run to other sides;(iv)the driver of the vehicle shall obey traffic signals but policemen controlling traffic shall give such vehicles top priority for movement: and(v)the vehicle shall not be driven at a speed in excess of the speed allowable for other motor vehicles except when proceeding to a fire, in which case the driver shall take adequate steps to ensure the safety of other users of the road.(2)Special rules in respect of vehicles carrying high dignitaries. - The motor vehicles which are fitted with red lights in the front as prescribed in clause (iii) of the proviso to rule 108 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, shall have the following overriding priorities in respect of the traffic signals-(a)all other motor vehicles shall give right of way to such vehicles;(b)such vehicles shall not be driven on the footpath reserved for pedestrians;(c)when the road is sufficiently wide, vehicle shall not cross the centre line of the road;(d)where there is separate carriage way for up and down traffic, such vehicle shall not be driven on the wrong side in a direction against the normal traffic in any of the carriage ways;(e)the driver of such vehicle shall obey the traffic signals but policemen controlling traffic signal may give priority to such vehicles for their movement. The driver of such vehicle shall not violate the rules made for no parking and other restrictions issued by competent authority or shall not commit any traffic offence.
