🚨 Yielding to Emergency Vehicles
When you see or hear an emergency vehicle (ambulance, fire truck, police car) with flashing lights and siren:
- Pull over to the right and stop until it has passed.
- If you’re in an intersection, clear the intersection first, then pull over.
- Always check all directions — there may be more than one emergency vehicle.
- Failing to yield is a serious offense and could delay life-saving help.
🚓 Approaching a Stopped Emergency or Service Vehicle
California’s “Move Over” Law requires you to move over and slow down for:
- Stationary emergency vehicles or tow trucks displaying flashing amber warning lights.
- Stopped road work or highway maintenance vehicles displaying emergency flashing or amber warning lights.
- Any other stationary vehicle displaying flashing hazard lights or another warning device — cones, flares or reflective devices included.
What you must do:
- Move into a lane that is not next to the stopped vehicle, if it is safe to do so, or
- Slow down to a safe and reasonable speed if you cannot change lanes.
Example: On a four-lane freeway, if a police car is on the right shoulder, move one lane to the left or slow down.
📌 This got broader on January 1, 2026. AB 390 extended the law beyond emergency vehicles, tow trucks and Caltrans: today a broken-down car with its hazards on, or a driver who has set out cones or flares, triggers the same duty. Fines can reach $1,000, especially for repeat offenders.
🚧 Accident Scenes
- Do not rubberneck or stop unnecessarily at accident scenes.
- Stopping without authorization and blocking emergency responders is illegal.
- If you witness a crash, you may:
- Safely pull over beyond the scene
- Call 911 to report it
- Never drive over fire hoses unless directed — it’s illegal and extremely dangerous.
🚑 Following Emergency Vehicles
- Do not follow an emergency vehicle with sirens/lights within 300 feet.
- Do not tailgate or try to “draft” behind them once they pass.
- This behavior is illegal and unsafe.
Always respect emergency vehicles — their ability to reach people quickly can be the difference between life and death.