Emergency Etiquette

Move over — that’s the least we can do for our ambulance and fire volunteers as they rush on the roads to a call — and now it’s the law, backed up by a $275 fine and points on your license.

A law signed on July 21 by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo makes it mandatory for motorists to slow down and shift over a lane when approaching a vehicle with flashing green or blue lights operated by volunteer firefighters or ambulance workers involved in a roadside emergency. Until then, the law applied only to parked police and emergency vehicles with flashing red and white or amber lights. The intention is to give other vital personnel a safe space in which to do their critical work.

While the measure only applies to multi-lane highways it should help spread awareness statewide about what the flashing green and blue lights mean. Here, where two-lane roads are the norm, it is good practice to pull over to allow volunteer responders approaching from behind to pass. By highlighting their importance, lawmakers are giving a necessary tip of the hat to the many individuals who help keep all of us safe.