By Bill Corliss

It is important to know how to react safely when there are emergency vehicles on the road responding to life-threatening situations. Drivers tend to have a vague understanding of what to do. A small mistake, however, could cause the loss of life, hindering the response time to an emergency scene. Here is a quick review of the laws of California that pertain to emergency vehicles.

The 2009 California Driver Handbook states:

“You must yield the right-of-way to a police car, fire engine, ambulance, or other emergency vehicle using a siren and red light. Drive as close to the right edge of the road as possible and stop until the emergency vehicle(s) has passed. (VC 21806) However, don’t stop in an intersection. If you are in an intersection when you see an emergency vehicle, continue through the intersection and then drive to the right as soon as you can and stop. Emergency vehicles often use the wrong side of the street to continue on their way. They sometimes use a loud speaker to talk to drivers blocking their path. “

Young drivers frequently ask if both sides of the highway must pull as far right as possible. As the driver handbook states above “emergency vehicles often use the wrong side of the street.” This means all drivers must get over. Drivers often confuse this with stopping for a school bus with flashing red lights.

“ When you come upon a school bus stopped on either side of the road with flashing red lights, you must stop” the vehicle code states. But “You need not stop if the bus is on the other side of a divided or a multilane (two or more traffic lanes in each direction) highway. “

There is a difference between emergency vehicles and a school bus: There are no exceptions for an emergency vehicle. You must pull over, no matter which side of the road you are on.

There are two other issues that are covered by our vehicle code that deserve attention. One issue concerns following distance and the second relates to sight-seeing at emergency scenes.

“It is against the law to follow within 300 feet of any emergency vehicle which is answering an emergency call.” (VC 21706)

“If you drive for sight-seeing purposes to the scene of a fire, accident, or other disaster you may be arrested. Casual observers interfere with the essential services of police, fire fighter, ambulance crews, or other rescue or emergency personnel.”

Another emergency related law that is timely states:

“Do not wear a headset over, or earplugs in, both your ears.” (VC 27400)

This would make it difficult to hear a siren of an approaching emergency vehicle.

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