Do all drivers move over for emergency vehicles?

East Naples Fire District says drivers are distracted

By Julie Salomone

CREATED Oct. 16, 2012 - UPDATED: Oct. 16, 2012

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  • East Naples and North Naples Fire Districts says drivers are distracted. Video by fox4now.com

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NAPLES, Fla.- East Naples firefighter Manuel Morales allows me to sit in the passenger seat of a fire truck. We are on East Tamiami Trail when he flips on his sirens and lights.

We can not even go above the speed limit because drivers seem startled and hesitant to move over.

"I do not know if they can't hear us or they are not paying attention," said Morales. 

Fox 4 cameras catch a car not moving over until the fire truck is right behind them. Sirens are now blaring. 

Firefighter Morales says he often sees people distracted by texts and tweets. 

"Even at 20mph, we slam on our breaks or break gently, we will even ride along for another 35 feet before coming to a complete stop," said Morales. 

Morales is in the business where minutes matter and his job is to get to the emergency without causing another emergency. 
 
"Anyone that's behind this wheel has to be responsible." 
 
Morales says Monday's accident in Lee County is not surprising. An ambulance was responding to call with its lights and sirens on when it was hit by a truck. It caused the ambulance to roll over. FHP gave a ticket to the driver for not giving the ambulance the right of way. 
 
Over at the North Naples Fire District, Michelle Delaney says she sees the same things. She says drivers are distracted. 
 
"You  would think this big red truck coming down the road, you'd notice us, but they're too busy texting on cell phones, getting food for kids." 
 
By law, drivers must get over to the right side of the road, but Delaney says the main thing is just to stop! 
 
"if you're in the left side of the road, ideally just pull over and stop. Just give us a path," said Delaney. 
 
Here's what you should do, according to the East Naples Fire Department's website:
 
  • Remain calm and move your vehicle appropriately, as noted below. Don’t panic!
  • You can’t go wrong by pulling to the right and coming to a stop. That’s the general rule in all cases. When you are in the right lane, pull onto the right shoulder if there is room and stop or at least slow way down if you are on an open high-speed road.
  • When you are in the left lane and traffic in the right lane is moving onto the shoulder, move right into their lane.
  • If you cannot go right because of an obstacle, such as a car in the right lane when you’re in the left lane, the next best thing is to stop. The driver of an emergency vehicle can then anticipate where to move his vehicle. If you are continuing to travel, someone else might not see the response vehicle or respond inappropriately. If you are moving, you are at risk of collision.
  • When you are at an intersection with a stop sign or red light and a response vehicle is coming up behind you, stay where you are if you cannot pull to the right.
  • If you are on a one-way street, pulling to the right is still best, but sometimes, due to traffic, you may pull to the left curb and yield the middle lane(s). This is one appropriate exception to the “pull right” rule.

Read more about what you should NOT do on their website.