Yielding to Emergency Vehicles

[joe.accountant]

Disclaimer:This is not about a friend of mine, and it's not about something dumb I did (I think), and I'm not a troll (even though I do enjoy getting a rise out of people), and I don't claim that I'm in full command of the English language. So please go easy on me even if it sounds like (or is) a dumb question

I live down the road from a hospital, and up the road from a police station, so I constantly encounter emergency vehicles. I have always wondered what the "text book", recommended, or "legal" reaction should be.

I have seen people jump the curbs or drive into a ditch when they were not even in the way, and at other times people just keep driving as if they were completely oblivious as to the rest of the world.

I mostly try to use common sense, but that may not necessarily correlate to what the "legal" thing is to do. Is there a clear definite rule that one MUST pull over to the side and STOP whenever there is an emergency vehicle with its lights and/or sirens on going either the same direction or the opposite?

This morning I was driving and there was nobody else on the road. An ambulance was driving with the lights on on the opposite side of the road. I didn't block its way nor did anybody or anything else. Was I still supposed to pullover and stop?

Just wondering.

[Citicop]

If you are operating a motor vehicle, and you encounter an emergency vehicle, you are required to pull to the right and stop IF it is safe to do so.

If the road was not divided, I would have stopped, even absent other traffic or obstructions.

Citicop.

[retdetsgt]

Most people seem to stop in the middle of the street after a panic stop and block traffic for everyone.

[phantasm]

The reason behind pulling over and stopping, is, say you're at an intersection, and you continue to move, and the vehicle is trying to turn down that intersection, now it has to worry about you still moving forward in the path of the vehicle trying to turn into that intersection.

[Roger Dat]

The rule of thumb is turn your radio down, hangup your cell phone, pull your head out of your a** , pay attnetion and move out of my F'n way when I have my lights and siren on :D:D:D:D:D

[Creeker]

Law here is you yield to the right.

In olden days (days of Yore), emergency vehicles were equipped with nothing more than a "Bubble gum machine" and many agencies either required or incidentally also turned on their emegency flashers. When the Flashers are on, an on coming driver has no way to know if the emergency vehicle is turning or where.

Today, mostly that is no longer the case, Agencies sometimes have more lighting on their vehicles than they need, but as the concientious and upstanding citizen driver that we all know you to be, you are required to pull to the right and slow if not stop upon the approach of an Activated Emergency vehicle from any direction.

[Samuel]

This topic should have been covered when you first got your license. When in doubt, get the F out of the way - pull over to the right and stop.

[joe.accountant]

This topic should have been covered when you first got your license.

License? I need a license to drive my beloved Volvo? :eek:

Seriously, you're right. I should ask for a refund from my driving school. Can I have them PM you if they have any questions about my complaint? Thanks!

[mcsap]

PA requires that you pull over and stop , immediately. You do not need to keep driving looking for a 7-11 lot etc. Just pull over and STOP. Let me worry about getting around you. I do it for a living.

[Plazoo]

Disclaimer:[I]I mostly try to use common sense,...

That already puts you well ahead of most drivers out there.

Like mentioned already, you do need to pull to the right and stop if it is safe to do so.

Some driver's don't think it's necessary for some reason, or don't want to be inconvenienced for the couple seconds that it takes for us to get passed them. But look at it this way:

In my state, the fine for failure to yield is over $1,000.00. Would you rather play it safe, pull over and stop for a couple seconds, or take the chance of pi$$ing off the officer/medic/firefighter that is running code and being delayed by minutes and having to shell out a grand instead? ;)