When You Hear Sirens or See Lights - Make the Right Move

During the month of March, the Los Angeles Fire Department is emphasizing Operation Pull to the Right, seeking to educate motorists about the importance of yielding to ambulances, fire trucks and police cars when they are responding to emergencies.

Many are surprised to learn: Nationwide, nearly 16,000 collisions occur each year because a growing number of drivers fail to Pull To The Right & Stop when emergency vehicles approach using their lights and sirens.

If you or someone you love is in need of emergency assistance, naturally you want help to get there right away. YOU can help us provide this emergency assistance as quickly as possible. It’s as simple as Moving to the Right for Sirens and Lights!

When drivers stop directly in front of emergency vehicles, Emergency Responders are forced to find a way to maneuver around them, which delays their response and can possibly result in an accident. 

When hearing sirens or seeing lights...
 

• Stay calm, signal your intentions, and remember all vehicles must pull over to the right.
• If it is not safe to pull over to the right, stop, but not in an intersection.
• Use common sense, if your windows are up or the music is on, regularly scan your mirrors for emergency vehicles. 
• Don’t panic.
• Don’t pull to the left or stop in the middle lane when there is room to pull to the right.  
• Don’t race ahead to make the green light before the emergency vehicle gets there.
• Don’t drive through a red light or stop sign when an emergency vehicle approaches from behind.
• Do not closely follow. All civilian vehicles must stay at least 300 feet behind emergency vehicles.

Emergency Responders and those they are responding to sincerely thank you for being safe, respectful drivers, and for following the law. Remember, you may be in need of an emergency vehicle one day.

Submitted by Erik Scott, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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