🚦 Right-of-Way Rules: Emergency Vehicles, School Buses & Pedestrians
Knowing When to Yield to Others
Understanding right-of-way rules is essential for safe driving and passing your driving test. Yielding properly ensures the safety of emergency responders, school children, and pedestrians. Let’s break it down into simple, easy-to-remember sections.
🚨 Yielding to Emergency Vehicles
When an emergency vehicle (ambulance, fire truck, police car) approaches with flashing lights and sirens:
✅ Move to the right edge of the roadway and stop.
✅ If in an intersection, clear the intersection first, then pull over.
✅ On divided highways, stop only if traveling in the same direction as the emergency vehicle.
✅ If an emergency vehicle is stopped with flashing lights, move over or slow down.
✅ Stay at least 500 feet behind a moving emergency vehicle.
🚫 DO NOT:
❌ Stop in an intersection.
❌ Follow closely behind an emergency vehicle.
❌ Speed up to clear the road.
📌 Example: A driver hears sirens, signals, pulls over, and stops until the emergency vehicle passes.
🚌 Yielding to School Buses
School buses carry children, so extra caution is required.
✅ STOP if a school bus has flashing red lights and an extended stop arm, regardless of direction, unless on a divided highway.
✅ On a divided highway, only stop if traveling in the same direction as the bus.
✅ When the bus turns off flashing red lights and retracts the stop arm, you may proceed.
✅ Slow down and prepare to stop when a bus has flashing yellow lights.
✅ Wait for all children to cross safely before proceeding.
🚫 DO NOT:
❌ Pass a stopped school bus with flashing red lights.
❌ Honk or rush children to move faster.
❌ Ignore a school crossing guard’s signal.
📌 Example: A driver sees a stopped bus with flashing red lights and waits until all children have crossed before moving.
🚶 Yielding to Pedestrians
Pedestrians have the right-of-way in many situations.
✅ Yield at marked crosswalks and unmarked intersections when a pedestrian is on your half of the road.
✅ STOP for pedestrians in a school zone or when assisted by a crossing guard.
✅ Blind pedestrians (white cane or service dog) always have the right-of-way.
✅ If a pedestrian suddenly enters the road, slow down or stop to avoid hitting them.
🚫 DO NOT:
❌ Honk or intimidate pedestrians.
❌ Speed up to pass before they cross.
❌ Ignore crossing guards or pedestrians in school zones.
📌 Example: A driver slows down and stops for a pedestrian at an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.
📌 Key Takeaways
| Scenario | Correct Action | Incorrect Action |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency vehicle approaching | Pull to the right and stop | Stop in an intersection or speed up |
| Emergency vehicle on a divided highway | Continue if going the opposite way | Stop unnecessarily |
| Stopped emergency vehicle | Move over or slow down | Pass at full speed |
| School bus with flashing red lights | Stop unless on the opposite side of a divided highway | Pass the bus or slow down only |
| School bus with yellow flashing lights | Slow down and prepare to stop | Speed up to pass before it stops |
| School crossing guard assisting children | Stop and follow signals | Ignore the guard and continue driving |
| Pedestrian at a marked crosswalk | Stop and yield | Continue driving if pedestrian is not in your lane |
| Blind pedestrian (white cane or service dog) | Always yield and stop if needed | Expect the pedestrian to yield |
By following these rules, you’ll ensure safer roads and improve your chances of passing your driving test on the first try. 🚦🚗 Stay alert, drive responsibly, and always give the right-of-way when needed! 🚔🚌