46.2-829 - Approach of law-enforcement or fire-fighting vehicles, rescue vehicles, or ambulances; violation as failure to yield right-of-way.
§ 46.2-829. Approach of law-enforcement or fire-fighting vehicles, rescuevehicles, or ambulances; violation as failure to yield right-of-way.
Upon the approach of any emergency vehicle as defined in § 46.2-920 givingaudible signal by siren, exhaust whistle, or air horn designed to giveautomatically intermittent signals, and displaying a flashing, blinking, oralternating emergency light or lights as provided in §§ 46.2-1022 through46.2-1024, the driver of every other vehicle shall, as quickly as traffic andother highway conditions permit, drive to the nearest edge of the roadway,clear of any intersection of highways, and stop and remain there, unlessotherwise directed by a law-enforcement officer, until the emergency vehiclehas passed. This provision shall not relieve the driver of any such vehicleto which the right-of-way is to be yielded of the duty to drive with dueregard for the safety of all persons using the highway, nor shall it protectthe driver of any such vehicle from the consequences of an arbitrary exerciseof such right-of-way.
Violation of this section shall constitute failure to yield the right-of-way;however, any violation of this section that involves overtaking or passing amoving emergency vehicle giving an audible signal and displaying activatedwarning lights as provided for in this section shall constitute recklessdriving, punishable as provided in § 46.2-868.
(Code 1950, § 46-241; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-225; 1960, c. 570; 1966, cc. 613,699; 1968, c. 89; 1976, c. 754; 1984, c. 539; 1985, c. 462; 1989, c. 727;1993, c. 579.)