Emergency Vehicles, Move Over and School Buses

Key points

1. Yield to police, fire, ambulance or other emergency vehicles using sirens, air horns or red or blue flashing lights.

   Source: Handbook p. 16

   “You must yield the right-of-way to police vehicles, fire engines, ambulances or other emergency vehicles using sirens, air horns or red or blue flashing lights.”
   Connecticut Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 16

2. Pull over to the right edge of the road, or as near to it as possible, and stop.

   Source: Handbook p. 16

   “you must pull over to the right edge of the road, or as near to the right as possible, and stop your vehicle.”
   Connecticut Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 16

3. If you are in an intersection, drive through it before pulling over.

   Source: Handbook p. 37

   “If you are in an intersection, drive through the intersection before you pull over.”
   Connecticut Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 37

4. Move Over Law: for any vehicle pulled over, slow below the limit and move over one lane when safe.

   Source: Handbook p. 16

   “SLOW DOWN (below the posted speed limit) and... • Move their vehicle over one lane whenever it is safe to do so.”
   Connecticut Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 16

5. Stop for a school bus with red lights flashing, on your side, the opposite side or at an intersection.

   Source: Handbook p. 37

   “You must stop for a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing whether it is on your side of the road, the opposite side of the road, or at an intersection you are approaching.”
   Connecticut Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 37

6. You need not stop if the bus is coming toward you across a median or physical barrier.

   Source: Handbook p. 37

   “You are not required to stop if the bus is traveling towards you and a median or other physical barrier separates the roadway.”
   Connecticut Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 37

7. After the red lights stop, wait until children have completely left the roadway.

   Source: Handbook p. 37

   “do not proceed until they have completely left the roadway and it is safe to proceed.”
   Connecticut Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 37

8. When police stop you, pull as far right as safely practical, clear of any intersection, and park.

   Source: Handbook p. 35

   “Drive as close as is safely practical to the right-hand edge or curb of the road, clear of any intersection, stop, and park.”
   Connecticut Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 35

3 questions from the Connecticut practice test

1. 1. An emergency vehicle approaches while you are already in an intersection. What should you do first?

   1. Stop in the intersection immediately
   2. Back up to the previous stop line
   3. Drive through the intersection, then pull over
   4. Turn left and continue without stopping
   Show answer

   Drive through the intersection, then pull over. The emergency-vehicle rule requires a driver to pull to the right and stop, but the manual gives a specific instruction for a vehicle already in an intersection: drive through the intersection before pulling over. Stopping in the middle can block the emergency vehicle and create a second conflict with cross traffic. Reversing is unpredictable, and continuing after clearing the intersection without stopping ignores the duty to yield. Clear the intersection safely, then move as far right as possible and remain stopped until the vehicle passes.

2. 2. Under Connecticut's Move Over Law, what must drivers do when any vehicle is pulled over on a highway or road?

   1. Maintain the posted speed and stay in the same lane
   2. Move onto the shoulder without reducing speed
   3. Stop in the travel lane until the vehicle leaves
   4. Slow below the posted speed limit and move over one lane when safe
   Show answer

   Slow below the posted speed limit and move over one lane when safe. The Move Over Law applies when any vehicle is pulled over on a highway or road. Drivers must first reduce speed below the posted limit and then move over one lane when that change can be made safely. Staying at the limit omits the required slowdown, while stopping in a travel lane creates a hazard for following traffic. Moving onto the shoulder without reducing speed also misses the rule. Scan early, ease off the accelerator, and create a lane of separation only when the adjacent lane is clear.

3. 3. A school bus is stopped with red lights flashing on your side of a two-way road. What is required?

   1. Continue if you are traveling toward the bus
   2. Pass slowly if no children are visible
   3. Stop only if the bus driver extends the stop arm
   4. Stop and remain stopped until it is safe to proceed
   Show answer

   Stop and remain stopped until it is safe to proceed. A stopped school bus displaying flashing red lights requires a stop whether the bus is on your side, across the road, or at an approaching intersection. The driver must wait until the red lights stop flashing, watch for children beside the road, and proceed only after they have completely left the roadway and it is safe. Visibility of children does not remove the duty to stop. The physical-barrier exception applies only to a bus traveling toward you on the other side of a divided roadway.

Source: the Connecticut Driver's Manual, Road Safety: Right of Way. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.