What should you do if you encounter an emergency vehicle with its lights flashing?

When you encounter an emergency vehicle with its lights flashing, it is important to pull over to the right side of the road and stop. This action ensures that the emergency vehicle has a clear path to respond to an incident, which is critical for public safety. By yielding and stopping, you not only comply with the law but also demonstrate consideration for those who may be in urgent need of assistance.

Pulling over to the right also minimizes the risk of accidents between moving vehicles and the emergency responders. If you are in a situation where pulling over is not possible, such as being in a multiple-lane road with heavy traffic, you should still ensure that you slow down and give the emergency vehicles as much space as possible while proceeding cautiously.

In contrast, speeding up to pass quickly can increase the potential for accidents, while ignoring the emergency vehicle completely could interfere with its operation and delay critical responses. Changing lanes with caution may not be sufficient if other vehicles do not yield; it is always safest to stop when an emergency vehicle is present.