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When approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with flashing lights, and it is unsafe to move over or change lanes, you should:

A) Slow down and proceed with caution
B) Maintain your speed
C) Honk your horn
D) Change lanes quickly

User Mark Meuer
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1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

When it's not safe to change lanes, you should always slow down and proceed with caution around a stationary emergency vehicle with flashing lights. This ensures the safety of emergency responders and complies with traffic safety regulations like the "Move Over" law.

Step-by-step explanation:

When approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with flashing lights and it is unsafe to move over or change lanes, the best course of action is to slow down and proceed with caution. Maintaining the same speed can be dangerous and is inconsiderate of the potential hazard and the presence of emergency responders. Quickly changing lanes can cause accidents, especially if it's done without proper signaling and safety checks. Honking your horn is unnecessary and could add to the confusion of the situation.

According to traffic safety rules, when an emergency vehicle such as an ambulance, fire truck, or police car is stationary on the side of the road, you should slow down while passing. This precaution not only protects the safety of emergency responders working near the roadway but also ensures that any potential victims or ongoing operations are not disturbed by your vehicle's passage.

By slowing down, you're acknowledging the risk posed by the stationary emergency vehicle and giving yourself enough time to react to unexpected events. In many places, there are laws in place, such as the "Move Over" law, that require drivers to slow down and change lanes away from the emergency vehicle if it's safe to do so, underlining the importance of this precaution.

The answers such as stopping and becoming stationary or running toward the ambulance, mentioned in the reference information, are not applicable here as they would only increase the risk of congestion and confusion on the road, potentially leading to more accidents.

User Douglas Anderson
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