What do you think the rules are for when you see an emergency vehicle on the road??

I believe that no matter what lane you are in that you should either pull out of the way or (if you can't) stop so you don't prevent other cars pulling out of the way in front of you... all too often I see drivers just keep going and it makes me crazy!

Today I was crossing over 110 at airport plaza and there was an emergency vehicle trying to go southbound but he was 4-5 cars back at a red light. I had the green but didn't go, figuring the other cars would move out of the way and let the emergency vehicle go - well No one else stopped and I had about 3-4 cars honking at me to go!!! I eventually went for fear that the giant SUV behind me was going rear end me and I had DD in the car!

Was I in the wrong to stop???

Re: What do you think the rules are for when you see an emergency vehicle on the road??

No, I don't think you were wrong at all. I always wait or pull over for emergency vehicles.

Re: What do you think the rules are for when you see an emergency vehicle on the road??

Legally you are not required to stop. How sad is that!?! You are only required to stop for a letter carrier.

I ALWAYS stop. Let them honk all they want. I always think to myself what if they are going to my house, or a family members?

Re: What do you think the rules are for when you see an emergency vehicle on the road??

In NYS you are supposed to pull to the right, even if you are on a divided highway and the emergency vehicle is on the opposite side. The ONLY time you DO NOT have to pull to the right is for a volunteer fire fighter (blue light) - but I still do.


This is from the NYS driver's manual:

You must yield the right-of-way to fire, ambulance, police and other authorized emergency vehicles when they are responding to emergencies. They will display flashing red, or red and white, lights and sound a siren or air-horn. When you hear or see an emergency vehicle approaching your vehicle from any direction, including on your side of an expressway or limited access highway, safely pull over immediately to the right edge of the road and stop. Wait until the emergency vehicle passes before driving on. If you are in an intersection, drive out of it before you pull over.

You must pull over and stop for an emergency vehicle even if it is coming toward you in the opposite lane of a two-way roadway.

If you hear a siren or air-horn nearby but do not know exactly where the emergency vehicle is, you should pull over and stop until you are sure it is not approaching you. An emergency vehicle using lights and a siren or air-horn may be unpredictable. The driver may legally exceed the speed limit, pass red lights and STOP or YIELD signs, go the wrong way on one-way streets and turn in directions not normally allowed. Although emergency vehicle drivers are required to exercise due care, be very cautious when an emergency vehicle approaches.

Re: What do you think the rules are for when you see an emergency vehicle on the road??

What Nina said. You are supposed to pull over to the right.

Re: What do you think the rules are for when you see an emergency vehicle on the road??

In Cali you are to pull to the right of the road and stop if it's safe to do so. If not you are to stop where you are. Does everyone do this ? No and it makes me plus now they can get a ticket for not following the rules.

How would they feel if an emergency vehicle got delayed while rushing to save their loved ones or homes?

Re: What do you think the rules are for when you see an emergency vehicle on the road??

Re: What do you think the rules are for when you see an emergency vehicle on the road??

Thank you, girls, for validating my beliefs... I won't let myself be bullied me from now on! (at least on this issue)

Re: What do you think the rules are for when you see an emergency vehicle on the road??

You were definitely right for trying to let the emergency vehicle get through. I don't understand why people don't move over when one is coming from behind them.

And please, even though it's not required by law to move for a blue light, you really should. My DH is a volunteer firefighter and I can't tell you how many times he tries to get to a call and people don't move. The longer it takes them to get to the firehouse, the longer it takes them to get to the emergency. Those precious seconds can be the difference between life and death.

Re: What do you think the rules are for when you see an emergency vehicle on the road??

Re: What do you think the rules are for when you see an emergency vehicle on the road??

I always pull to the side but almost always people go around me or end up honking at me- like someone mentioned above, what if they were going to get your family member- people around NY need to learn some patience!

Re: What do you think the rules are for when you see an emergency vehicle on the road??

I would have done the same thing you did.

Re: What do you think the rules are for when you see an emergency vehicle on the road??

If you can't remember the whole thing, remember this very important part:

Re: What do you think the rules are for when you see an emergency vehicle on the road??

Let me tell you, I used drive an ambulance and was always so grateful to the people who pulled over to the right. You have no idea how hard it is to get through a busy intersection when people keep going, or just stay where they are.

Some people also freeze when they hear a sire, I can't tell you how many times people just stopped. They didn't pull over, they didn't keep going - they just stopped whereever they were, and that made it even harder to get through.

Re: What do you think the rules are for when you see an emergency vehicle on the road??