As parents teaching young drivers we recently had the chance for one of those "on the road teaching moments" when a fire truck was closing in quickly in our rearview mirror. Thankfully, we were in the right lane of traffic and made pulling to the side of the road easier.

So, what do you do when there are emergency lights in your rearview mirror? What if you're in an intersection? Do your young drivers know what to do when they hear an emergency vehicle siren while driving? Surprisingly, many people do not know the proper way to pull over - and timing is everything for the person or people who need help.

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The South Dakota Online Driver's Manual states, "You must yield the right-of-way to a police vehicle, fire engine, ambulance, or other emergency vehicle using a siren, air horn, or a red or blue flashing light. Pullover to the right edge of the road or as near to the right as possible when you see or hear an emergency vehicle approaching from any direction. If you are in an intersection, drive through the intersection before you pull over. If a driver fails to come to a complete stop in these situations, they can be imprisoned in the county jail for up to 30 days or fined up to $200 or both."

Some other tips:

Pull Over To The Right – Pullover to your right every time when it’s safe to do so and let emergency vehicles pass. Keep an eye on other vehicles in the right lane and don’t force your vehicle into the right lane.
Never Stop – Never just stop in the middle of the road when attempting to get out of the way.
Never Pass an Emergency Vehicle – Whether you have the green light or not, never, ever, attempt to pass an emergency vehicle.
Never Pull Over to the Left – When attempting to pull Never do so to the left of the roadway as that lane is designated for emergency vehicles.
Do Not Follow Behind – Never tailgate behind an emergency vehicle with its sirens on, drivers must always keep a distance of 500 feet.

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