Washington drivers doing a poor job of giving emergency vehicles extra space
Dec 20, 2016, 8:18 AM
KIRO Radio's Chris Sullivan reminds drivers to give emergency vehicles extra space on the road. (WSP)
(WSP)
Western Washington drivers are doing a pretty poor job of giving emergency vehicles proper space on the road.
With all the poor driving conditions we’ve experienced recently, it’s a good time to remind people of the state law, which says drivers are required to give emergency vehicles a safe buffer.
Related: Pay-per-mile tax program is going to be tested in Washington
“The law requires you to move over one lane to the left — if that’s not possible — to slow down,” Washington State Patrol Trooper Rick Johnson said.
He said it’s pretty scary approaching a vehicle while others whiz by at 70 mph.
“That’s why, if at all possible, we make passenger-side contacts,” he said.
That’s also why troopers pull their cars up at an angle. That prevents them from slamming into the car in front if hit from behind.
The state law applies to either side of the road. Whenever you have lights on the shoulder, either shoulder, drivers are required to get over, if it’s safe to do so. You have likely noticed that responding firetrucks actually block a lane to provide a safe buffer zone. Johnson said most agencies send an extra truck just to provide that space.
Trooper Johnson didn’t have the stats on whether these type of accidents have increased. But he said they do seem to increase this time of year as we have fewer hours of daylight.
