Know the Road with the CHP: Where to go when an emergency vehicle is behind you
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- If an emergency vehicle has its lights and sirens on behind you, where should you go to get out of the way?
"The vehicle code requires you to always yield to the right," said Sgt. Brian Pennings with the California Highway Patrol. "And because the vehicle code requires a vehicle to yield to the right when they see lights and sirens, the vehicle code also requires the driver of that emergency vehicle to only be able to pass you on the left."
"If you are driving down the road... and an emergency vehicle comes up behind you and they need to pass by you, if you pull over in the center divide, the operator of that emergency vehicle has a turn off their lights and sirens to legally pass you on the right," Pennings explained.
"So it's always best whenever you see lights and sirens to always pull to the right and allow that emergency vehicle to go around you to the left, and it's also a lot safer for you to pull to the right instead of in the center divide because the flow of traffic is a lot more swift in the fast lane."
For other answers from the CHP, go to abc30.com/knowtheroad.
If you have a question about the rules of the road, fill out the form below for a chance to be featured on Know the Road with the CHP.
