Photo: Matt Fitz Gibaud, Pexels
When an ambulance, fire engine or police car comes up behind you with its siren and lights on, the rule in US state handbooks is the same: pull over to the right edge of the road and stop until it has passed. Never stop in an intersection. This guide covers what to do in tricky spots, how far back to stay, and what changes when police are pulling you over.
Key facts
- Yield to any emergency vehicle using a siren and red lights (California), or flashing red, red and blue, or red and white lights with a siren or air horn (New York).
- Drive to the right edge of the road and stop. Wait until it passes.
- If you are already in an intersection, keep going through it, then pull over.
- In New York you must also pull over for an emergency vehicle coming toward you in the opposite lane of a two-way road.
- California makes it illegal to follow within 300 feet of an emergency vehicle that has its siren or flashing lights on. Following distances differ by state.
- Stopped emergency vehicles on the shoulder are covered by separate move over laws.
What to do when an ambulance is behind you: step by step
- Check where it is. Use your mirrors. Turn the music down so you can hear which way the siren is coming from.
- Signal right. Let the emergency driver and the traffic around you know what you are doing.
- Move to the right edge and stop. Pull over smoothly. Do not brake hard in your lane or swerve.
- Wait. Stay stopped until it has passed. Look out for a second or third vehicle following it.
- Re-enter carefully. Signal, check your mirror and blind spot, and merge back when it is safe.
Tricky situations
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| You are in an intersection | Keep going through it, then pull to the right as soon as it is safe and stop (California, New York). |
| You are waiting at a red light | Stay put unless you can move out of the way safely and legally. Never pull into the intersection blindly. If an officer directs you, follow the officer. |
| You hear a siren but cannot see the vehicle | In New York you must pull to the right edge and stop until you are sure it is not heading toward you. |
| It is coming the other way on a two-way road | In New York you must still pull over and stop. |
| You are on a freeway | Move right when you safely can and slow or stop on the right. Do not cut across several lanes at once. |
| Following an emergency vehicle | Stay well back. In California it is illegal to follow within 300 feet when its siren or flashing lights are on. Check your state’s distance. |
| Near a fire, crash or other emergency scene | Do not drive to it to watch. California says you can be arrested for getting in the way of rescue crews. |
Emergency drivers may break the usual rules
New York’s manual warns that, during an emergency, these drivers can run red lights and stop signs, go the wrong way on one-way streets and turn in unexpected directions. Do not assume an emergency vehicle will stop at a red light or follow the usual lanes.
Lights that are not emergency lights: in New York, blue lights (volunteer firefighters), green lights (volunteer ambulances) and amber lights (hazard vehicles) do not belong to authorized emergency vehicles, and those drivers must obey traffic laws. You do not have to yield to them, but the manual says to yield as a courtesy if it is safe.
Police, sheriff and State Trooper vehicles responding to emergencies in New York are not always required to sound a siren. Watch for lights as well as sound.
When police pull you over
Pulling over for an emergency vehicle that is passing you is different from being stopped yourself. California’s handbook advises:
- Turn on your right signal to show you have seen the officer.
- Move all the way onto the right shoulder, even from a carpool/HOV lane.
- Stop in a well-lit area if you can, and turn off the radio.
- Stay in the vehicle unless the officer tells you to get out. Lower your window after you stop, and keep your hands where they can be seen.
Officers’ directions override signs and signals. If an officer or firefighter signals you to stop or go, do it (California, New York).
Penalties for not yielding
California’s handbook says failing to pull over may result in a ticket. Fines and any points are set by each state, so check your state handbook. Points are explained in points systems and license suspensions.
Common questions
Do I have to pull over if the ambulance is on the other side of the road?
In New York, yes, on a two-way road. On a divided highway with a median, other states’ rules vary. If in doubt, slow down and move right.
Should I run a red light to get out of the way?
No. Stay stopped unless you can clear the way safely without entering the intersection against the light, or an officer directs you.
Can I follow an ambulance to get through traffic faster?
No. California bans following within 300 feet when the siren or lights are on, and other states also limit following distance.
What about a stopped fire engine on the shoulder?
That is a move over situation: slow down and change lanes away from it if you can. See move over laws in the US.
Does this come up on the permit test?
Often. Expect questions on pulling to the right, intersections and following distance. See US permit test by state.
Does the same apply to school buses?
No, school buses have their own stopping rules. See school bus stopping laws.
More: freeway driving for new drivers, sharing the road, learning to drive in the USA.
Sources
- California DMV, “California Driver’s Handbook, Section 7: Laws and Rules of the Road (Continued)” (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “California Driver’s Handbook, Section 6: Navigating the Roads (Continued)”, Law Enforcement Stops (dmv.ca.gov)
- New York DMV, “Driver’s Manual, Chapter 5: Intersections and Turns” and “Chapter 4: Traffic Control” (dmv.ny.gov)