Los Angeles Sheriff - West Hollywood Station

Seeing a fast-moving emergency vehicle in your rear-view mirror can raise your pulse rate. Here are three tips to remember when you see a police or fire vehicle on an emergency call:

When on the road, you must safely move to the right to clear the way for an emergency vehicle using a siren and red lights to pass.
Safely clear each lane and move to the right edge of the street, and stop until the emergency vehicles have passed.
If your vehicle is already in an intersection, continue through the intersection, and then move to the right and stop when safe.

Even if it conflicts with existing signs, signals or laws, you must obey any traffic direction, order or signal given by a Deputy/Police Officer, traffic officer or firefighter.

When traffic is congested:

At times, traffic can be congested in West Hollywood. When responding to an emergency, it can be necessary for emergency vehicles to travel in the oncomingng traffic lane. As listed above, move the right to let the emergency vehicle pass.

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California Vehicle Code: Section 21806 Authorized Emergency Vehicles

Authorized Emergency Vehicles

21806. Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle which is sounding a siren and which has at least one lighted lamp exhibiting red light that is visible, under normal atmospheric conditions, from a distance of 1,000 feet to the front of the vehicle, the surrounding traffic shall, except as otherwise directed by a traffic officer, do the following:

(a) (1) Except as required under paragraph (2), the driver of every other vehicle shall yield the right-of-way and shall immediately drive to the right-hand edge or curb of the highway, clear of any intersection, and thereupon shall stop and remain stopped until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed.

(2) A person driving a vehicle in an exclusive or preferential use lane shall exit that lane immediately upon determining that the exit can be accomplished with reasonable safety.

(b) The operator of every street car shall immediately stop the street car, clear of any intersection, and remain stopped until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed.

(c) All pedestrians upon the highway shall proceed to the nearest curb or place of safety and remain there until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed.

We are pleased to provide a forum for West Hollywood residents to ask Captain Fraser a question.

We also log questions of general interest along with her answers for your information. Ask your question here