The current Move Over Law for motorists in Alabama requires that drivers move over to one lane whenever they see an ambulance, a firetruck, or a police car, or any responder with its flashing lights on. And if you are unable to move over, you must slow down to 15 mph below the required speed limit.
And, very soon, there will be a bill coming into effect that will require you to move over or slow down if you even see private vehicles with flashing lights. Not to mention, this law applies to those who have a flat tire or are facing another vehicle-related emergency as well to pull over the side of the road.
However, what you currently need to do if you see a responder coming is this:
Slow down and move over to the right lane.
That is because responders are trained to pass traffic on the left, and this is why it is best to move to the right side. If you don’t, then it could lead to an accident. However, if you are unable to do so due to stopping at a red light, the responders will know how to move around your vehicle.
Never slam onto your brakes
If you are in the middle of a driving lane and you slam onto your brakes, you are risking yourself at getting into an accident. Responders drive at much higher speeds than the regular traffic and are unable to stop if a driver around them all of a sudden stops suddenly. Just slow down and work on getting over to the right when you can. Again, at the very worst, the responder will find a way to move past you if you are stuck.
Be sure to pass over to the right lane as soon as you hear the sirens going
Even if you are unable to see the flashing lights, if you hear the siren behind you, make the attempt to pull over towards the right before the responder even goes near your vehicle so that you do not have to worry about being in the way at all.
As long as you follow these 3 simple rules, you will be safe and you will be allowing the responders to get to their emergency destination with a lot more ease as well. These men and women work hard to keep everyone safe, healthy and are constantly needing to put out fires. These laws are placed so that they can help out the community when needed with the help of any motorist.