Fire Truck Accident

No matter what the scenario is for a car accident, it is scary. But, as you can probably imagine, if you were involved in a car accident with a much larger vehicle, such as a fire truck, it can be even more scary. It is imperative that drivers on the road have a solid understanding of the rules on the road when it involves medical vehicles. Sometimes when if you are involved in a car accident that has to do with a fire truck or medical vehicle it can be tricky to determine liability. If they are in route to a fire or medical emergency, they are technically covered from any lawsuits for that reason.

One of the most important things to understand while you are driving is that fire trucks and medical vehicles do not have to follow the same traffic laws that you do while you are driving. When they are called to an emergency, their top priority is getting there as fast as they can to provide assistance. So, if they have their lights on, be aware that they have the right of way no matter what. Do what you can to move out of their way as quickly and safely as possible. You want to either pull over to the right side of the road if possible, or get out of the lane that the fire truck is in to clear the way. When you do this, be sure that there are not any more vehicles coming as there might be more than one. But, if there are no lights or sirens going, the vehicle has to follow the same traffic laws that you do on the road.

When a driver fails to yield to the medical vehicle or fire truck, it can be extremely dangerous. Usually when they are on their way to an emergency scene, they are driving at a much faster speed than they normally would be. If a driver fails to yield, it is very common for accidents to occur for this reason. If you fail to yield and cause an accident, nine times out of ten you will be considered at fault for the accident because the medical vehicle has the right of way. However, there can be cases when the driver of the fire truck or medical vehicle can be at fault for the accident as well. This is why is it always smart to hire an attorney to help with the case when it is not clear.

Overall, it is one of the most important rules of the road to know and understand the rules involving a fire truck or medical vehicle on the road. You should always be sure to yield when they have their lights and/or sirens flashing and do so in a safe manner. If the unfortunate case in which you are involved in an accident with one of these vehicles, be sure to contact an attorney to help you with your case and determining fault.