Emergency Vehicles and the Move Over Law

Key points

1. For police, fire or ambulance with siren or lights, pull to the right edge, clear of intersections, and stop until it passes.

   Source: Handbook p. 29

   “Pull over to the right edge of the roadway, clear of intersections and stop until the emergency vehicle has passed.”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 29

2. In heavy traffic when you cannot pull over, clear a path for the vehicle.

   Source: Handbook p. 29

   “In heavy traffic, when you can’t pull over, clear a path for the vehicle.”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 29

3. If an officer signals you to stop while in the left lane, you must still pull over to the right shoulder.

   Source: Handbook p. 29

   “If an officer signals you to stop while you’re driving in the left lane, you must still pull over to the right shoulder”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 29

4. On a multi lane road, move to a lane not next to a stopped vehicle with flashing lights, if safe.

   Source: Handbook p. 30

   “On a multi-lane road going in your direction: • Move over to a lane that isn’t next to the stopped vehicle if it’s safe to do so.”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 30

5. If you cannot safely change lanes, slow down and drive carefully.

   Source: Handbook p. 30

   “If you can’t safely change lanes, slow down and drive carefully.”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 30

6. You must move to the left lane or slow down for any vehicle on the side of the highway, including emergency vehicles, law enforcement, maintenance workers or cars with hazards flashing.

   Source: Handbook p. 29

   “You must move to the left lane or slow down for any vehicle on the side of the highway. This includes emergency vehicles, law enforcement, maintenance workers or cars with their hazard lights flashing.”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 29

7. Moving over helps prevent secondary crashes.

   Source: Handbook p. 30

   “It is important to move over or slow down around vehicles displaying flashing lights on the side of the road because it helps prevent secondary crashes.”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 30

8. At a traffic incident scene, stay alert, move over if possible, slow down, follow responders and do not rubberneck.

   Source: Handbook p. 31

   “▶ Stay Alert ▶ Move Over (if possible) ▶ Slow Down ▶ Follow Any Directions from Emergency Responders ▶ Do not Rubberneck”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 31

3 questions from the Oklahoma practice test

1. 1. An ambulance with its siren on comes up behind you in heavy traffic, and you cannot pull over to the right edge. What should you do?

   1. Clear a path for the emergency vehicle
   2. Stop where you are, even in the intersection
   3. Speed up to stay ahead of the ambulance
   4. Keep driving normally until you can exit
   Show answer

   Clear a path for the emergency vehicle. Normally, drivers yield to police cars, fire engines, and ambulances by pulling to the right edge of the road, clear of intersections, and stopping until the vehicle passes. Heavy traffic can make that impossible. In that case the handbook says to clear a path for the emergency vehicle, moving as needed so it can get through. Stopping inside an intersection is the opposite of keeping clear of it. Racing ahead or carrying on as usual ignores the duty to yield. Your goal is to give the emergency vehicle room to move.

2. 2. On a multi-lane road, what should you do when a stationary vehicle on the shoulder displays flashing lights?

   1. Move to a lane not next to it when safe, or slow down if changing lanes is unsafe
   2. Keep the same lane and speed because the vehicle is off the roadway
   3. Stop beside the vehicle so its occupants can ask for help
   4. Move onto the shoulder and pass the stopped vehicle there
   Show answer

   Move to a lane not next to it when safe, or slow down if changing lanes is unsafe. The Move Over rule protects people working beside traffic. On a multi-lane road, change into a lane that is not next to the stationary vehicle when that can be done safely. If a lane change is unsafe, slow down and proceed carefully. Remaining at speed ignores the hazard, stopping beside the vehicle adds another obstruction, and using the shoulder puts the moving vehicle in the same space as responders. Check mirrors early, signal, create separation, and reduce speed when the surrounding traffic leaves no safe opening.

3. 3. Why does Oklahoma require drivers to move over or slow down around vehicles with flashing lights?

   1. To reserve the shoulder for buses
   2. To make the stopped vehicle leave sooner
   3. To prevent secondary crashes
   4. To avoid receiving a parking citation
   Show answer

   To prevent secondary crashes. The manual explains that moving over or slowing around roadside vehicles with flashing lights helps prevent secondary crashes. A secondary crash happens because another incident distracts a driver or creates a dangerous interaction with passing traffic. The rule is about protecting people and avoiding a new collision, not expediting the disabled vehicle, reserving the shoulder, or enforcing parking. The cue is incident scene equals focused attention, reduced risk, and no rubbernecking.

Source: the Oklahoma Driver Manual, Chapter 5: 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.