Turkey implements new protections for emergency ambulances

Turkey is implementing new measures to improve emergency response efficiency and reduce bureaucratic hurdles for medical services. The Ministry of Interior and the General Directorate of Security have issued instructions to automate the prevention of traffic fines for ambulances responding to 112 Emergency Call Center requests.

Under the new system, an electronic check will verify if an ambulance has an active emergency case record at the exact time of a traffic violation. If a valid case is found, the system will display a “cezai işlem uygulanamaz” (penalties cannot be applied) warning, preventing the fine from being processed. This aims to protect healthcare workers from unfair penalties while exercising right-of-way.

Additionally, the HAYAT 112 Acil application is being utilized to centralize various emergency reporting types. The app allows citizens to report issues ranging from first aid and public order to fires and abandoned animals through a single digital platform. It supports the transmission of location data, photos, and videos to speed up response times. The app also includes safety features for disasters, such as an “Are you okay?” notification and location sharing for those trapped under rubble.