California DMV Permit Test (Class C)Rules of the Road and Right-of-WayHard
You are driving on a two-way street and notice an emergency vehicle approaching from behind with its lights and siren on. There is no curb or shoulder. What is the correct action to take?
- ASpeed up to get out of the way quickly.
- BPull over to the right edge of the road and stop, even if it means stopping in the lane.
- CPull over to the left side of the road and stop.
- DContinue driving at the speed limit until you find a safe pull-off area.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Pull over to the right edge of the road and stop, even if it means stopping in the lane.
When an emergency vehicle approaches with lights and siren, you must pull over to the right edge of the road and stop. If there is no curb or shoulder, you must still move as far right as safely possible and stop, even if it means stopping in the travel lane, to allow the emergency vehicle to pass.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Speeding up is dangerous and illegal; you must yield right-of-way.
- C. Pulling to the left is incorrect; you must pull to the right.
- D. You must yield immediately, not wait for a 'safe' area, unless it is truly unsafe to stop immediately.
Emergency Vehicle Yield (No Shoulder)
When an emergency vehicle approaches, move to the right edge of the road and stop. If there's no shoulder, move as far right as safely possible and stop in the lane.
- Yield immediately upon hearing/seeing.
- Stay stopped until vehicle passes.
- Do not stop in an intersection.
Memory trick: Siren's loud, pull right, stop proud.