Relates to the operation of vehicles on approach of authorized emergency vehicles

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          5661

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                                    I N  S E N A T E

                                    February 26, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced by Sen. OBERACKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation

        AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to operation of
          vehicles on approach of authorized emergency vehicles

          THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
        BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

     1    Section 1. Section 1144 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended  by
     2  chapter  300  of the laws of 1960, subdivision (a) as amended by chapter
     3  606 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
     4    § 1144. Operation of vehicles  on  approach  of  authorized  emergency
     5  vehicles.    (a)  Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency
     6  vehicle equipped with at least one lighted  lamp  exhibiting  red  light
     7  visible  under  normal  atmospheric  conditions  from a distance of five
     8  hundred feet to the front of such vehicle other than a police vehicle or
     9  bicycle when operated as an authorized emergency vehicle, and when audi-
    10  ble signals are sounded from any said vehicle by siren, exhaust whistle,
    11  bell, air-horn or electronic equivalent; the driver of every other vehi-
    12  cle shall yield the right of way and shall immediately drive to a  posi-
    13  tion  parallel  to,  and as close as possible to [the right-hand] EITHER
    14  edge or curb of the roadway TO CREATE A RESCUE LANE IN THE CENTER, or to
    15  [either edge of a one-way roadway three or  more  lanes  in  width]  THE
    16  RIGHT-HAND  EDGE  OF  A  ROADWAY  ONE LANE IN WIDTH, clear of any inter-
    17  section, and shall stop and remain in such position until the authorized
    18  emergency vehicle has passed, unless  otherwise  directed  by  a  police
    19  officer.
    20    (b)  IN  INSTANCES WHEN TRAFFIC IS MOVING SLOWLY, STOPPED, OR IN GRID-
    21  LOCK DRIVERS SHALL CREATE A RESCUE LANE TO  ALLOW  AUTHORIZED  EMERGENCY
    22  VEHICLES  TO PASS. ON ROADWAYS WITH MULTIPLE LANES OF TRAFFIC DRIVERS IN
    23  THE LEFTMOST LANE SHALL MOVE TO THE LEFT EDGE OF THE ROADWAY, DRIVERS IN
    24  THE RIGHTMOST LANE SHALL MOVE TO THE RIGHT  EDGE  OF  THE  ROADWAY,  AND
    25  DRIVERS  IN  THE  CENTER  LANES  SHALL  MOVE TOWARD THE LEFT OR RIGHT TO

         EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD10331-01-5
        S. 5661                             2

     1  CREATE A CLEAR LANE IN THE CENTER OF THE ROADWAY  UNTIL  THE  AUTHORIZED
     2  EMERGENCY VEHICLE IS PASSED. ON A ONE LANE ROADWAY DRIVERS SHALL MOVE AS
     3  FAR  TO  THE RIGHT AS POSSIBLE UNTIL THE AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLE IS
     4  PASSED.
     5    (C) This section shall not operate to relieve the driver of an author-
     6  ized  emergency  vehicle from the duty to drive with reasonable care for
     7  all persons using the highway.
     8    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.