Routing modes

Blue Light Maps has two routing modes. The toggle sits at the top of the route panel.

Emergency mode

Use when you’re responding under blue lights. Emergency mode finds routes that take account of the exemptions a blue-light driver is permitted to use:

• Restricted turns
• Bus gates and bus lanes
• One-way streets in the contraflow direction (where it is legal to do so)
• Weight limits (which are exemptable for emergency vehicles, and ignored by default)

The route panel header turns red so you can tell at a glance which mode you’re in.

Restricted turns and weight limits each have a switch in Driving options, so you can tell the app to obey them even under blue lights. Some services fix one or both centrally for their crews; where that has been done the switch is greyed out and marked Set by your organisation. Nothing else in the list above is affected either way. Bus gates, contraflow running and emergency access stay available in emergency mode regardless.

Non-emergency mode

Use for everything else: returning to station, hospital transfers without lights, training runs, fuel stops. Non-emergency mode obeys all road restrictions including weight limits, and is the right mode whenever you’re not legally permitted to use exemptions.

Switching modes mid-route

You can toggle modes at any time. The route recalculates immediately. A common pattern: dispatched in emergency, then stood down en route. Toggle to non-emergency and the app will re-route you to comply with normal road rules from your current position.

Did you know

In emergency mode, Blue Light Maps notifies Waze users on your route to warn them you’re coming. This is automatic; there’s no setting to enable. It does not happen in non-emergency mode.

Choosing the default mode for your service

Organisation users: the default mode at app launch is configured per service by your IT team via MDM. See MDM vehicle profiles for the config keys.