We know that ambulance and other emergency vehicle drivers are exempted from traffic laws in exigent circumstances, such as when they are responding to an emergency call or when transporting critical patients to the hospital. However crossing the red light, or speeding while transporting a non-critical patient is not one of those exigent circumstances. Traffic jam is a never-ending issue in Karachi. It has become a general routine for these ambulance drivers to put on the siren even when there is no need for it. They seem to do it just to drive their way through a traffic jam. The people, out of concern for patients still give way to ambulances. But I am afraid if the ambulance drivers continued with the practice of turning on hooters with out the need, people would not take ambulances seriously even while they're responding to an emergency call. I suggest some proper measures should be taken by the relevant authorities to address this issue. -SAMAN ATHAR, Karachi, via e-mail, May 13.