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Move to the Right...for Sirens and Lights! 
If you or someone you love is in need of emergency assistance, you want help to get there right away. Did you know that there’s one thing everyone can do to help responders provide this emergency assistance as quickly as possible? It’s as simple as Moving to the Right for Sirens and Lights!

Richmond County’s emergency personnel estimate that 50% of our motorists know what to do when they see an emergency vehicle with lights and sirens on…or when they come upon an accident scene. With more traffic than ever on our roadways, the problems just continues to get worse. The intersections especially dangerous for emergency vehicles when running an emergency call are Berckman Rd. at Washington Rd. , Gordon Hwy. at Deans Bridge Rd. , Hwy. 25 (Peach Orchard Rd.) at Winsor Spring Rd., and Walton Way at Gordon Hwy.

For the sake of the victims, the responders, and your own safety…please help us to get Richmond County motorists informed on what to do when emergency vehicles are approaching or when they come upon the scene of an accident!

8 Simple Rules to Yield To An Emergency Vehicle:


Do's

  1. Stay calm
  2. Move as far to the right side of the road as possible and stop.
  3. If you cannot move to the right because of another vehicle or obstacle, just stop.
  4. Drivers should stay at least 300 feet behind emergency vehicles using their lights and sirens.

Don'ts

  1. Don’t pull to the left in the center lane or left turn lane.
  2. Don’t try to beat the green light or turn before the emergency vehicle gets there.
  3. Don’t drive through a red light or stop sign when an emergency vehicle approaches from behind.
  4. Don’t disregard the presence of the emergency vehicle by continuing to drive.

When You Hear A Siren Or Air Horn While Driving In:

If you’re STOPPED at the intersection:
  • Look to see where the emergency vehicle is approaching.
  • If the emergency vehicle is behind you safely pull to the right.
  • If the emergency vehicle is approaching from the front or side streets, remain stopped until they pass.
If you’re APPROACHING the intersection:
  • Safely pull to the right.
  • Stop before entering intersection.
  • DON’T stop in the middle of the intersection
Congested Areas
If you DO NOT SEE the flashing lights:
  • Slow down.
  • Turn your radio volume down.
  • Check your mirrors frequently.
  • Stay focused and anticipate the emergency vehicle.
  • DON’T enter an intersection until it's clear.

We never want the “rescuers” to need “rescuing!”

Every year in the U.S., there are almost 16,000 collisions involving fire department emergency vehicles while responding to or returning from incidents. These collisions result in over 1,000 firefighter injuries and almost fifty deaths. Firefighters are careful to avoid vehicle collisions by driving slowly when traveling against traffic, or coming to a complete stop at intersections. However, the cooperation of ALL vehicles on the roadway is essential.