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DMV Permit · Emergencies

What should you do when an emergency vehicle approaches with its lights and siren on?

Reviewed by Jordan Morley, Editorial Lead at 247SimpleTests. Written by the 247SimpleTests Editorial Team from the official source material cited on every question.

Correct answer

Pull over to the right edge of the road and stop until it passes, when safe to do so

  1. A Ignore it if you have the right of way
  2. B Speed up to get out of the area
  3. C Pull over to the right edge of the road and stop until it passes, when safe to do so
  4. D Stop immediately in your lane

Why this is the answer

When an emergency vehicle (police, fire, or ambulance) approaches with lights and siren active, you must yield by pulling over to the right edge of the road and stopping until it passes, as long as it is safe to do so. If you are in an intersection, clear it first, then pull right. Do not stop suddenly in a travel lane or block the intersection. After the emergency vehicle passes, return to traffic when it is safe. Many areas also have 'Move Over' laws requiring drivers to slow and change lanes away from stopped emergency or service vehicles. Yielding to emergency vehicles is a legal duty.
Source: Standard driver handbook, Emergency Vehicles

Practice more questions

This question is from our DMV Permit Practice Tests practice test. Take the full practice test to test your knowledge across all Emergencies and other topics.

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About this topic: Emergencies

Blowouts, brake failures, off-road excursions, and skids are rare but high-stakes. Practiced responses prevent panic reactions that can turn a recoverable situation into a fatal one. This is one of 11 DMV Permit questions on emergencies, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our DMV Permit exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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