When police, fire or an ambulance's emergency lights are activated near you in Tallahassee, it can be a moment of panic or confusion for many drivers. It's important to know the proper protocol to ensure safety for everyone on the road. Here are the steps you should follow when you encounter an emergency vehicle from any direction when driving in Leon County or anywhere else across the State of Florida:
1. Pull to the Right and Stop: The standard protocol, taught to all students at Burgess Driving School, is to safely pull to the right-hand side of the road and, if possible, come to a complete stop. This allows emergency vehicles to pass quickly and safely.
2. Understanding Emergency Vehicle Movement: Emergency responders are trained to drive in the left lane (the fast lane) when responding to emergencies. This strategy relies on drivers pulling to the right, creating a clear path for the emergency vehicle. This is a crucial point that we cover with all Burgess Driving School students taking driving lessons in Tallahassee. We also cover appropriate state laws when providing teen driving lessons to students from Thomasville, Bainbridge, or Cairo, Georgia.
3. Why Stopping Matters: Even if you pull to the right, it's usually best to also stop your vehicle when you're on residential or city streets. Imagine an emergency vehicle traveling at 50 mph in a 35 mph zone while you pull over but continue driving a bit slower. If the emergency vehicle needs to make a right turn at the upcoming intersection, your moving vehicle in the right lane can create a dangerous situation. The emergency vehicle might have to cut you off or slow down, losing precious seconds in a critical situation. The best practice as a driver is to do everything possible to allow the emergency vehicle to pass you as quickly and safely as possible. Pulling over and stopping is usually the best option.
4. Avoiding Confusion: If the emergency vehicle suddenly gets behind you to make a turn, you might mistakenly think you are being pulled over, causing further delay and potential danger. Continuing to drive, even at a slower speed, can create additional risks, especially if the emergency vehicle also needs to turn right at an intersection. This scenario is something we cover during our Behind-the-Wheel driver training.
5. Best Practices: To ensure safety for everyone, reduce your speed, move to the right when it's safe, and come to a complete stop if it is safe to do so, until the emergency responder has passed. This allows emergency vehicles to navigate quickly and reduces the risk of accidents.
By following these guidelines, you help ensure that emergency responders can reach their destinations quickly and safely, potentially saving lives in critical situations. Always be aware of your surroundings and be prepared to respond appropriately when you see emergency lights behind you.
We love helping train new drivers and making Tallahassee's streets safer for everyone. Even if you're not one of our customers, feel free to reach out to us for helpful driving tips. With your help we can all make Florida's roads safer for new teen drivers.