Live Safe today – be alert in your car and on the road – especially because it’s back to school time and our streets are getting busy. Nothing is more frustrating than witnessing drivers not yielding to emergency vehicles. Most recently a collision occurred between a fire truck and a tow truck close to the Live Safe office building in which the tow truck driver had not yielded to the fire truck.  Unfortunately, the situation ended in a wreck and multiple injuries.  (For details on the crash visit: The Columbus Dispatch : Westerville Road reopened following fire truck-tow truck crash).

This situation leads to a timely “Report From the Line of Duty”:

Rules of the Road for Emergency Vehicles

By Fire Marshal Alan Perkins, Washington Township Fire Department

Dublin, OH – 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.

For more information contact: Leslie Dybiec, Public Information Officer

Phone: (614) 652-3928

Fax: (614) 766-2507

ldybiec@wtwp.com