Emergency Medical Services

Drivers in Arizona are required to yield the right of way to all emergency vehicles with illuminated red or red and blue lights and sounding a siren, whistle or bell. When an emergency vehicle approaches, you are required to Immediateely pull as far right on the road as possible and stop your car parallel to the curb or edge of the road. You must remain stopped until the emergency vehicle passes, unless a police officer directs otherwise.

It is a violation of the law to stop your car in an intersection. You must clear all intersections before coming to a stop.

The law creates a separate violation for those who follow too close behind fire trucks with lights and sirens on. You are required to remain at least 500 feet behind a working fire truck.

You also may not drive into the block where a fire truck has stopped in answer to a fire alarm.

Drivers also are required to yield the right of way to cars in a funeral procession, although they are not emergency vehicles. State law permits properly escorted funeral processions to proceed through red lights, make otherwise improper turns and disregard many other traffic rules.

Always exercise special caution when driving near emergency vehicles and funeral processions.

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