You must pull over to the edge of the road and allow an emergency vehicle to pass:
- Regardless of your direction. ✓
- Only if it is following you.
- Only if it is approaching you from the opposite direction.
- None of the above.
Answer: A. Regardless of your direction.
You must pull over to the edge of the road and allow an emergency vehicle to pass regardless of your direction.
Why this is the answer
The handbook says drivers must yield to law enforcement, fire, and other emergency vehicles that are using sirens or flashing lights. It tells you to pull over to the closest edge of the roadway right away and stay stopped until the vehicle has passed, and not to block intersections. The passage does not limit this duty to an emergency vehicle that is behind you or coming from the opposite direction; it applies whenever such a vehicle is using its warning signals. So you pull over regardless of your direction.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. Only if it is following you. — Waiting only when the emergency vehicle is following you is too narrow; the handbook's pull-over-and-stop instruction is not tied to the vehicle being behind you.
- C. Only if it is approaching you from the opposite direction. — Pulling over only for an emergency vehicle approaching from the opposite direction is also too narrow; the handbook does not make that direction a condition.
- D. None of the above. — Doing none of these things is wrong because the handbook plainly requires yielding and pulling over for emergency vehicles using sirens or flashing lights.
Remember it
Siren or lights means clear the closest edge, wherever the emergency vehicle is coming from.