What's happening
This bill requires drivers to yield for authorized emergency vehicles displaying red or blue lights, including volunteer firefighters.
Why it matters
Expands "authorized emergency vehicles" to explicitly include those driven by volunteer firefighters,. which could speed up response times in rural or suburban areas where volunteers are often the first on the scene.
Requires drivers to yield for vehicles displaying either red or blue lights,. potentially reducing confusion for motorists and making it clearer that both colors signal an emergency response.
Increases legal protections and authority for volunteer firefighters,. ensuring they have the same right-of-way as other emergency responders, which may improve both their safety and their ability to assist during emergencies.
May lead to greater public awareness and compliance with emergency yielding laws,. as the inclusion of blue lights and volunteer firefighters in the law clarifies expectations for all drivers.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Yield to Emergency Vehicles
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6442
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 7, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. B. MILLER, FINCH -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to vehicle operation on approach of authorized emergency vehicles
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision (a) of section 1144 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 606 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
(a) Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle equipped with at least one lighted lamp exhibiting red or blue light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of five hundred feet to the front of such vehicle other than a police vehicle or bicycle when operated as an authorized emergency vehicle including volunteer firefighters, and when audible signals are sounded from any said vehicle by siren, exhaust whistle, bell, air-horn or electronic equivalent; the driver of every other vehicle shall yield the right of way and shall immediately drive to a position parallel to, and as close as possible to the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway, or to either edge of a one-way roadway three or more lanes in width, clear of any intersection, and shall stop and remain in such position until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed, unless otherwise directed by a police officer.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09423-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.