Ohio drivers have the responsibility of obeying traffic laws and following the rules of the road, and awareness is critical to avoiding accidents and violations. Drivers must be aware of what is happening around their vehicle, including the presence of emergency vehicles. If a firetruck, ambulance, police car or another type of official vehicle is driving with lights and sirens on, other vehicles must move out of the way. Failure to do so is a traffic violation.
Move over, or get a ticket
It is against the law to impede the progress of emergency vehicles. While this is a requirement for all drivers, many are unaware of what to do when they see one of these vehicles coming. The law states that drivers must move to the adjacent lane when they see one of these vehicles approaching, allowing that vehicle room to get through traffic more easily. This is the case on every road and interstate in Ohio.
When drivers ignore this law, they place the workers inside emergency vehicles at risk for an accident and injury. If moving out of the way is not possible at the moment, drivers must still slow down and be cautious. A driver who does not move over could receive a traffic violation.
Fighting a ticket
Ohio law enforcement takes this requirement seriously. If a driver receives a violation for this or another reason, he or she may assume the most appropriate course of action is to pay the fee and move on. In reality, it may be best for a driver to explore the possibility of fighting the ticket and keeping additional points off his or her record.
