One of the most dangerous situations for a police officer is stopping motorists on busy highways. Officers are killed and seriously injured by being struck by vehicles that pass them on the roadway during the car stop. These accidents are very preventable.
The Missouri law (304.022) that covers stopping and pulling to the right when approached from the rear by an emergency vehicle also covers the situation of motorists passing a stationary emergency vehicle displaying red lights.
The law states:
Upon approaching a stationary emergency vehicle displaying lighted red or red and blue lights, the driver of every motor vehicle shall:
- Proceed with caution and yield the right-of-way, if possible with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, by making a lane change into a lane not adjacent to that of the stationary vehicle, if on a roadway having at least four lanes with not less than two lanes proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle; or
- Proceed with due caution and reduce the speed of the vehicle, maintaining a safe speed for road conditions, if changing lanes would be unsafe or impossible.
By obeying this and all other traffic laws, the roadways will be safer for everyone.