Firefighters run into burning buildings while everyone else is running out. Police officers often deal with desperate criminals intent on escaping. EMT's and Paramedics routinely find themselves climbing through glass and debris to get into wrecked vehicles to take care of patients. Ask any of them what is the most dangerous thing they are called to do every day they are at work and you will most likely hear them say, "responding to the call".
The RAND Corporation released a report in 2004 that showed vehicle accidents and/or being struck by a vehicle was the third leading cause of line-of-duty deaths for firefighters and the second leading cause of deaths for police officers and EMS workers.
Read the report here!
What does that mean to you? Every rookie firefighter, police officer and EMS worker is told over and over and over again, "If you don't get to the scene safely, you can't do anything to help". That is something every driver on the road needs to keep in mind, too. When you see an emergency vehicle approaching with its lights and siren on, yield the right-of-way and immediately drive to the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway clear of any intersection, and stop until the emergency vehicle has passed, except when otherwise directed by a police officer.
Like most states, Tennessee has a "Move Over Law" which reads, in part:
Upon approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle, when such vehicle is giving a signal by use of flashing lights, a person who drives an approaching vehicle shall:
- Proceeding with due caution, yield the right-of-way by making a lane change into a lane not adjacent to that of the authorized emergency vehicle, if possible with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, if on a highway having at least four (4) lanes with not less than two (2) lanes proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle; or
- Proceeding with due caution, reduce the speed of the vehicle, maintaining a safe speed for road conditions, if changing lanes would be impossible or unsafe.
In simple terms: if you see a fire engine, police car or ambulance sitting on the side of the road, safely change lanes so you don't drive in the lane right next to them if that's possible. If that is not an option, slow down and keep an eye out for the emergency workers. The chances are pretty good they are busy working to help someone and they may not be able to take their attention away from whatever it is they are working on.
Bottom line: help those that risk their lives to help others by keeping your attention focused on the roadway and not whatever it is the emergency workers are doing.
If you would like to read the State of Tennessee's "Move Over Law", you can do so by clicking
here.
