If a police vehicle with emergency lights is stopped on the shoulder, what should you do?

• A. Move at least one lane to the left
• B. Pull over to the right side
• C. Stop immediately in the same lane
• D. Increase speed to pass

Answer: (A)

When you see a police vehicle with emergency lights on a shoulder, the main idea is to give space for the responders and work zone. The safest move is to change lanes away from the incident if you can do so safely. Moving at least one lane to the left creates a buffer between your vehicle and the stopped vehicle and any workers or equipment on the shoulder, reducing the risk of a side-swipe or debris-related crash as you pass.

Other actions fail to protect that space: pulling toward the right shoulder pushes you into the hazard zone and often isn’t feasible or safe; stopping in the same lane leaves no room for the scene to be cleared and for you to pass safely; and speeding up to hurry past eliminates the required clearance and increases the chance of a collision. If a lane change isn’t possible, slow down and proceed with caution to give the scene the necessary space.