Emergency Vehicle Etiquette and Right Turn Advice

Question: What is the proper procedure when an emergency vehicle is approaching?

— Doug P.

Answer: The answer is found in the Michigan Compiled Laws, section 257.653 which states in part: When an authorized emergency vehicle, equipped with appropriate emergency lights and giving an audible signal (siren), the driver of another vehicle shall yield the right of way and shall immediately drive to a position parallel to and as close as possible to the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway, clear of an intersection and shall stop and remain in that position until the emergency vehicle has passed, unless directed to do otherwise by a police officer.

Regardless of how many lanes a roadway has, when an emergency vehicle approaches other vehicles, those vehicles are required to move to the right. In a perfect world that’s the way it would work, but we all live in the real world, which means sometimes drivers may have to move in another direction other than to the right. If you are in a situation that prevents you from moving right to clear a traffic lane for the emergency vehicle, look to the driver of the emergency vehicle to give you direction, either with their hands or public address system.

An emergency vehicle is defined by MCL 257.2 and those are fire department vehicles, police vehicles, ambulances, or privately-owned motor vehicles of volunteer or paid fire fighters, if authorized by the fire chief, or privately-owned motor vehicles of volunteer or paid members of a life support agency, if authorized by the life support agency. This section also recognizes road service vehicles (tow trucks) when they are giving a visual signal by means of a flashing, rotating, or oscillating red or amber light.

Section 257.653 does not relieve the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of persons using the highway.

When can I turn right on red?

Question: When exiting US-23 after traveling southbound, is it legal to turn right onto westbound M-59 while the light is red, or must you wait until the green arrow comes on? There is no "No Right Turn On Red" sign in the intersection.

— Judy K.

Answer: We look to MCL 257.612 to answer this question.  It’s a law that covers many topics regarding intersections, traffic control devices and turning. Because MCL 257.612 covers so much, I’m only going to use the specific section relevant to Judy’s question. 

MCL 257.612(1)(c)(ii) states: Vehicular traffic facing a steady red signal, after stopping … before entering the intersection, may make a right turn from a 1-way or 2-way street into a 2-way street or into a 1-way street carrying traffic in the direction of the right turn or may make a left turn from a 1-way or 2-way street into a 1-way roadway carrying traffic in the direction of the left turn, unless prohibited by sign, signal, marking, light, or other traffic control device. The vehicular traffic shall yield the right of way to pedestrians and bicyclists lawfully within the crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.

Safety quote for the week: “It’s better to lose a minute in time... than to lose a life in a minute.”

Meet Trooper Gonzalez

Trooper Rene Gonzalez has been a Trooper for 13 years. He came to the Michigan State Police after being honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corp. Trooper Gonzalez has also been assigned to the First District—Homeland Security Team and has worked undercover on a multi-jurisdictional narcotics team. He is a trained first aid instructor, a Class III Preliminary Breath Test (PBT) Calibrator and certified Drug Recognition Expert.