You approach an emergency vehicle that is stopped with its lights flashing. You must:

1. Slow down. If possible, change lanes so you will not drive next to the stopped emergency vehicle. ✓
2. Drive to the right side of the road and stop.
3. Stay in your lane and continue to drive at the same speed.
4. Accelerate to quickly pass the stopped vehicle.

Answer: A. Slow down. If possible, change lanes so you will not drive next to the stopped emergency vehicle.

Slow down and, if possible, change lanes so you will not drive next to the stopped emergency vehicle.

Why this is the answer

The Texas handbook says that when an emergency vehicle is stopped on the road with its lights on or flashing, you must either reduce your speed to 20 mph below the speed limit or move out of the lane closest to it if there are multiple lanes going your way. It also says to vacate the lane closest to the stopped emergency vehicle when the road has two or more lanes in your direction. The correct choice matches that move-over-or-slow-down rule.

Why the other answers are wrong

• B. Drive to the right side of the road and stop. — Moving to the right side of the road and stopping is what the handbook suggests when law enforcement stops you, not when you are passing an emergency vehicle parked with its lights on.
• C. Stay in your lane and continue to drive at the same speed. — Staying in your lane at the same speed ignores the handbook requirement to slow down or move out of the lane closest to the stopped emergency vehicle.
• D. Accelerate to quickly pass the stopped vehicle. — Accelerating to pass quickly is the opposite of slowing down and is not what the handbook requires around a stopped emergency vehicle with activated lights.

Remember it

When you see flashing lights ahead, think move over or slow down.