Road Safety 101: Emergency Vehicles

Regardless of whether you’re a new or experienced driver, you’ve likely come across an emergency vehicle on the road. Every day, police, fire, and EMS vehicles respond to urgent calls. They are outfitted with emergency vehicle equipment such as sirens, beacons, and light bars to alert pedestrians and drivers to provide them with right of way.

Time is of the essence in these situations – so it is essential that these vehicles get to the emergency as quickly as possible. It is for this reason that drivers should know what protocols to follow when encountering an emergency vehicle.

Today we’ll discuss how drivers must react when faced with an emergency vehicle in different road scenarios.

Scenario: Multi-Lane Highway

If you are driving on a multi-lane highway and you hear or see an emergency vehicle approaching, you must slow down, signal, move to the right, and stop. If possible, try to drive your vehicle as closely to the right as possible without driving onto the shoulder.

Scenario: 2-Lane Road

If you’re driving down a 2-lane road when an emergency vehicle approaches – like the multi-lane highway scenario, you must sign and drive your vehicle to the right side of the road and stop.

Scenario: 1-Way Street

In the event that you’re driving down a 1-way street when you hear or see and emergency vehicle approaching, you must signal and pull to the side of the street (can be either the right or the left side of the street), and stop.

Scenario: Intersection

If you find yourself in an intersection when an emergency vehicle appears, it is essential that you do not block the intersection. Traffic in all directions must yield to the emergency vehicle. If you are in an intersection and are about to make a left turn when you see or hear an emergency vehicle behind you – continue making the left turn, leave the intersection, signal, pull to the right of the road, and stop.

Scenario: Stopped Emergency Vehicle

If you are driving and come across a stopped emergency vehicle with its lights flashing, in the same direction you are going, you should slow down when approaching the vehicle and pass with caution. Emergency vehicles are equipped with emergency vehicle equipment like sirens, beacons, and light bars to alert drivers to either give right away or proceed with caution.

Darta is a full service emergency vehicle equipment provider and outfitter.

We take the time to understand the needs of your emergency vehicle fleet in order to come up with a solution that works for you. For all your emergency vehicle outfitter and equipment needs, call Darta Fleets today!