Emergency Vehicles and the Move Over Law

Key points

1. When you see or hear an emergency vehicle coming from any direction, pull over to the right edge of the road.

   Source: Handbook p. 19

   “Pull over 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.”
   Iowa Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 19

2. If you are in an intersection or roundabout, drive through it before you pull over.

   Source: Handbook p. 19

   “If you are in an intersection (including roundabouts), drive through the intersection before you pull over.”
   Iowa Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 19

3. On a divided road, you need not stop for an emergency vehicle on the other side.

   Source: Handbook p. 19

   “if you are on a street or highway separated by a median, and the emergency vehicle is on the other side, you do not have to stop.”
   Iowa Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 19

4. Stay at least 500 feet behind any emergency vehicle using lights and sirens.

   Source: Handbook p. 19

   “Stay at least 500 feet behind any emergency vehicle using lights and sirens.”
   Iowa Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 19

5. The Move Over or Slow Down Law requires changing lanes when approaching certain stopped vehicles showing flashing lights.

   Source: Handbook p. 22

   “Iowa’s Move Over or Slow Down Law requires motorists to change lanes when approaching any of the following stopped vehicles displaying flashing lights”
   Iowa Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 22

6. If you cannot change lanes, slow down and be prepared to stop.

   Source: Handbook p. 22

   “If a lane change is not possible, prohibited by law, or unsafe, you must slow down and be prepared to stop.”
   Iowa Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 22

7. Violating the Move Over law can mean a suspension of up to 1 year.

   Source: Handbook p. 22

   “Violating this law may result in your license being suspended for up to one year.”
   Iowa Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 22

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Iowa practice test

1. 1. What should an Iowa driver do when an emergency vehicle approaches with warning equipment?

   1. Pull to the right edge, or as near to it as possible
   2. Stop in the center of the nearest intersection
   3. Follow the emergency vehicle closely to pass traffic
   4. Move left and accelerate through the next block
   Show answer

   Pull to the right edge, or as near to it as possible. When a police vehicle, ambulance, fire engine, or other emergency vehicle approaches with a siren, air horn, or qualifying flashing lights, the driver should pull to the right edge or as near to it as possible. Stopping in an intersection can block the responding vehicle, and following it closely creates another hazard. Moving left and accelerating works against the yielding duty. The practical cue is to clear the emergency vehicle's path on the right while remaining alert to surrounding traffic.

2. 2. If an emergency vehicle approaches while you are in an intersection, what should you do first?

   1. Reverse into the cross street
   2. Stop immediately across the intersection
   3. Drive through the intersection before pulling over
   4. Turn around and follow the emergency vehicle
   Show answer

   Drive through the intersection before pulling over. Iowa's manual directs a driver already in an intersection to drive through it before pulling over. That clears the conflict point and gives the emergency vehicle a more predictable path. Stopping across the intersection can obstruct traffic, while reversing or turning around introduces unnecessary movements near a response vehicle. Once beyond the intersection, pull toward the right as near to the edge as possible. The special median exception is separate and applies when the emergency vehicle is on the other side of a divided roadway.

3. 3. Under Iowa's Move Over or Slow Down Law, what must a driver do when approaching a stopped vehicle displaying flashing lights?

   1. Stop in the lane immediately beside the stopped vehicle
   2. Maintain speed because only emergency vehicles receive protection
   3. Change lanes when possible, or slow down and be prepared to stop if changing lanes is unsafe
   4. Pass on the shoulder to create more room
   Show answer

   Change lanes when possible, or slow down and be prepared to stop if changing lanes is unsafe. Iowa protects more than emergency vehicles under this rule, and it requires motorists to change lanes when approaching covered stopped vehicles with flashing lights. When a lane change is impossible, unlawful, or unsafe, the fallback is to slow down and be prepared to stop at a reasonable speed for conditions. Maintaining speed disregards the warning, stopping beside the vehicle can block traffic, and using the shoulder creates a separate hazard. Treat flashing lights as an early decision point: inspect the next lane, move over safely, or reduce speed and prepare to stop.

Source: the Iowa Driver's Manual, Chapter 2: Emergency Vehicles and Stopped Vehicles. 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.