In a crisis situation, it is imperative that emergency responders arrive as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, many are delayed by motorists who don’t yield the right of way, causing serious accidents and increasing the time it takes emergency personnel to reach the scene. Because every second counts in an emergency, even a brief delay can mean the difference between life and death for someone.
There are many reasons why drivers fail to yield. Some are not paying attention to traffic behind them as well as in front of them. Some cannot hear the siren because their car stereo’s volume prohibits it or their attention is on a cell phone conversation. Some may not know what to do when an emergency vehicle approaches. 
When an emergency vehicle responding to a call approaches:
- Pull to the right and stop. State laws requires all drivers to yield the right-of-way by immediately driving, if practical, to a position parallel to, and as close as possible to, the right edge or curb.
- Always make sure all public safety vehicles have passed before proceeding.
- Be sure to check your rearview mirror before pulling back into the travel lane.
- Don’t block any intersection. If it is not possible or safe to clear the intersection, move as far as possible away from the center of the intersection.
It is extremely frustrating for the driver of an emergency vehicle to try to navigate moving cars and blocked intersections. Although it may pose a temporary inconvenience for travelers, yielding to vehicles on emergency calls is critical. It could be your loved one they are trying to reach.
Article Credits: Fire Marshal Alan Perkins, CFPS, is a 32-year veteran of the fire service. A Certified Fire Protection Specialist through the National Fire Protection Association and a member of several similar safety organizations. Perkins is the Fire Marshal for the Washington Township Fire Department, Dublin, Ohio. For more information, contact: Leslie Dybiec, Public Information Officer Phone: (614) 652-3928 Fax: (614) 766-2507 or ldybiec@wtwp.com.
Images: Courtesy of Google Images
Live Safe Foundation is an Ohio based non-profit organization (501c3), and leading grassroots movement, devoted to making fire safety education, awareness initiatives and life saving tools available on a broad basis to communities, campuses, and institutions in an effort to reduce national fire fatalities and fire losses. Live Safe aims to help finance fire safety education where means are otherwise unavailable. Live Safe is developing and sponsoring programs to help groups find the resources needed to advance individual and community fire safety.
