Move to the Right for Sirens and
Lights! |
If you or someone you love is in need of emergency
assistance, you want help to get there right away.
Did you know that there's one thing everyone can do
to help the firefighters provide this emergency
assistance as quickly as possible? It's as
simple as Moving to the Right for Sirens and Lights!
What do you do when you see an emergency vehicle
approaching with it's lights and siren on?
This is one of the most troublesome problems
encountered by emergency service providers and
sometimes one of the most confusing for motorists.
There are some simple rules to follow when
you're on the road and encounter an emergency
vehicle:
DO:
- Stay calm.
- Pull to the right and come to a complete
stop.
- If you're traveling on a high-speed road or
if there is no room to stop, slow down as much
as possible.
- If you are in the left lane, pull over into
the right lane as traffic in the lane to your
right moves over.
- If you cannot move to the right because of
another vehicle or obstacle, just stop.
Your action will let the driver of the emergency
vehicle know what you are doing and allow the
driver to anticipate where to drive.
- When an emergency vehicle approaches you
from behind while you are stopped at an
intersection, stay where you are unless you can
pull to the right.
- On a 4-lane highway or street without
barriers, both sides of traffic should pull to
the right.
- Be careful when driving by or around a motor
vehicle accident or any situation where
emergency vehicles are parked and the
firefighters are working.
- Drivers should stay at least 500 feet behind
emergency vehicles.
- When driving on an interstate highway or
other highway with two or more lanes traveling
in the same direction as the emergency vehicle,
slow to a speed of 25 MPH until it is safe to
proceed at the posted speed limit.
- If you encounter a parked emergency vehicle
in a highway or roadway with it's emergency
lights operating, slow down and merge into the
lane furthest from the emergency vehicle.
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Don't:
- Don't panic.
- Don't play your radio so loudly that you are
unable to hear sirens.
- Don't stop in the middle lane when there is
room to pull to the right.
- Don't pull to the left in the center lane or
left turn lane.
- Don't race ahead to make the green light or
turn before the emergency vehicle gets there.
- Don't turn quickly to the left onto a street
or driveway.
- Don't drive through a red light or stop sign
when an emergency vehicle approaches from
behind.
- If the emergency vehicle is traveling on the
opposite direction of a divided highway or
street, you do not need to pull over.
- Don't disregard the presence of the
emergency vehicle by continuing to drive.
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These recommendations are not only for the safety
of firefighters and law enforcement officers but for
the safety of citizens and their families.
Additionally, it is also the law: Arizona
Revised Statutes 28-775...failure to comply could
result in arrest, fine and imprisonment.
Those who drive fire apparatus and ambulances are
thoroughly trained and tested. They are taught
first and foremost to drive with due regard for the
safety of others. Drivers of emergency
vehicles know that they cannot help anyone if they
don't get there!
Generally, emergency drivers will move left,
since other drivers are supposed to move right.
Sometimes, due to traffic conditions, they may have
to travel in opposing lanes. This is why it is
so important for drivers to respect emergency
vehicles by moving out of the way and stopping.
That will provide the space needed and ideally give
an escape route if something goes wrong.
When you or someone you care about needs the help
of an emergency responder, you will be thankful for
the drivers who didn't impede response and allowed
their safe and prompt arrival....
Move to the Right for Sirens and
Lights! |
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