The incident occurred on a Thursday morning, when traffic was already moving at walking pace due to an earlier collision and ongoing roadworks. A police patrol was attempting to reach the scene.
Officers used blue lights, a siren and additional audible warning signals. Nevertheless, the lorry was not positioned in a way that allowed the emergency vehicle to pass, police said.
Police also used the case to reiterate a key rule for German motorways: an emergency corridor should be formed as soon as traffic begins to slow or a queue starts to build. Drivers should not wait until they see an ambulance, police car or fire engine in their mirrors.
Germany: up to €320 and a one-month driving ban
German regulations specify how an emergency corridor must be created. On motorways and out-of-town roads with at least two lanes in the same direction, space for emergency services should be opened between the far-left lane and the lane immediately to its right.
In practical terms, vehicles in the left lane should move as far left as possible, while traffic in all other lanes should move to the right. The same principle applies on roads with three or four lanes.
Penalties depend on the consequences. Failing to form the corridor can result in a fine of €200. If an emergency vehicle is obstructed, the fine increases to €240. Creating a dangerous situation is punishable by €280, while property damage can raise the fine to €320.
In addition to the fine, drivers receive two points in the German driver register and a one-month driving ban. The same sanctions may apply to anyone who uses the emergency corridor to bypass congestion.
In the A65 case, the key issue will be the extent to which the driver’s behaviour disrupted the response. Police said emergency services were delayed, which could mean a higher penalty than the minimum.
Austria: penalties can exceed €2,000
Austria applies stricter measures. On motorways and expressways, drivers must form an emergency corridor as soon as a traffic jam begins to develop, whether or not an emergency vehicle is already visible.
Failing to create the corridor, or using it improperly, can be punished with a fine of up to €726. If a driver obstructs emergency services, roadside assistance or road operator vehicles, the penalty can range from €72 to €2,180.
This places Austria among the EU countries with the highest financial penalties for blocking access for responders.
Poland, Czechia, Belgium and other EU countries
Rules requiring drivers to create an emergency corridor when traffic backs up also apply in countries such as Poland, Czechia, Belgium, Croatia and Hungary. The basic principle is similar to Germany and Austria: the far-left lane moves left, while the remaining lanes move right.
In Poland, drivers must create a “life corridor” under the same lane logic. Failing to do so, or blocking an emergency vehicle, can lead to a fine of roughly €115 to €580, with penalty points possible in certain cases and licence retention or court proceedings if the behaviour endangers road safety. Driving through the corridor without authorisation is treated as a separate, more serious offence, with fines reported as high as €580 and eight penalty points.
In Belgium, a safety corridor should be created on roads with at least two lanes in one direction as soon as traffic starts to slow. Blocking a priority vehicle using warning signals can be treated as a third-degree offence, with a fine of €174 and additional administrative charges possible.
Not every country uses the same corridor model, however. In France and Italy, the emphasis is placed more on the general obligation to immediately give way to an emergency vehicle. Drivers must respond by moving aside, slowing down and, if necessary, stopping.
The core message remains the same: make space early. In countries that follow the classic emergency corridor approach, drivers should position their vehicles as soon as traffic starts to stall, not only after hearing a siren.
The A65 incident highlights why delays can have serious consequences, particularly when a lorry is involved. Due to its size and limited ability to manoeuvre once traffic has come to a standstill, a single truck can effectively block access for emergency services.
Related reading: Germany braces for peak summer congestion on key freight routes, Europe-wide speed checks to intensify in early August, Driver hospitalised after more than a day stranded in 42°C heat.
