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| § 20-157. Approach of police, fire department or rescue
squad vehicles or ambulances; driving over fire hose or blocking
fire-fighting equipment; parking, etc., near police, fire department, or
rescue squad vehicle or ambulance. (a)Upon the approach of any police
or fire department vehicle or public or private ambulance or rescue squad
emergency service vehicle giving warning signal by appropriate light and
by audible bell, siren or exhaust whistle, audible under normal conditions
from a distance not less than 1000 feet, the driver of every other vehicle
shall immediately drive the same to a position as near as possible and
parallel to the right-hand edge or curb, clear of any intersection of
streets or highways, and shall stop and remain in such position unless
otherwise directed by a police or traffic officer until police or fire
department vehicle or public or private ambulance or rescue squad
emergency service vehicle shall have passed. Provided, however, this
subsection shall not apply to vehicles traveling in the opposite direction
of the vehicles herein enumerated when traveling on a four-lane limited
access highway with a median divider dividing the highway for vehicles
traveling in opposite directions, and provided further that the violation
of this subsection shall not be negligence per se. Violation of this
subsection is a Class 2 misdemeanor. (b) It shall be unlawful for the
driver of any vehicle other than one on official business to follow any
fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than one block
or to drive into or park such vehicle within one block where fire
apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm. (c) Outside of the
corporate limits of any city or town it shall be unlawful for the driver
of any vehicle other than one on official business to follow any fire
apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than 400 feet or to
drive into or park such vehicle within a space of 400 feet from where fire
apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm. (d) It shall be unlawful
to drive a motor vehicle over a fire hose or any other equipment that is
being used at a fire at any time, or to block a fire-fighting apparatus or
any other equipment from its source of supply regardless of its distance
from the fire. (e) It shall be unlawful for the driver of a vehicle, other
than one on official business, to park and leave standing such vehicle
within 100 feet of police or fire department vehicles, public or private
ambulances, or rescue squad emergency vehicles which are engaged in the
investigation of an accident or engaged in rendering assistance to victims
of such accident. (f) When an authorized emergency vehicle as described in
subsection (a) of this section is parked or standing within 12 feet of a
roadway and is giving a warning signal by appropriate light, the driver of
every other approaching vehicle shall, as soon as it is safe and when not
otherwise directed by an individual lawfully directing traffic, do one of
the following: (1) Move the vehicle into a lane that is not the lane
nearest the parked or standing authorized emergency vehicle and continue
traveling in that lane until safely clear of the authorized emergency
vehicle. This paragraph applies only if the roadway has at least two lanes
for traffic proceeding in the direction of the approaching vehicle and if
the approaching vehicle may change lanes safely and without interfering
with any vehicular traffic. (2) Slow the vehicle, maintaining a safe speed
for traffic conditions, and operate the vehicle at a reduced speed until
completely past the authorized emergency vehicle. This paragraph applies
only if the roadway has only one lane for traffic proceeding in the
direction of the approaching vehicle or if the approaching vehicle may not
change lanes safely and without interfering with any vehicular traffic.
Violation of this subsection shall not be negligence per se. (1937, c.
407, s. 119; 1955, cc. 173, 744; 1971, c. 366, ss. 1, 2; 1985, c. 764, s.
31; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 852, s. 17; 1993, c. 539, s. 372; 1994,
Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 2001-331, s. 1.) |
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