Q: Hemet resident Richie Locasso recently encountered an emergency vehicle on Gilman Springs Road, which connects Hemet to the 60 Freeway, and asks what the appropriate response should have been.
Gilman Springs is mostly two lanes with double yellow stripes in each lane and two-foot-tall stakes with reflectors about 20 feet apart running down the middle of the road, Locasso said. Recently, he came across a fire truck driving at a high rate of speed with its lights flashing approaching in the opposite direction on this road.
“I didn’t know if I should keep driving as normal or pull over to the side and stop, which I ended up doing, along with other cars in my lane. Could you please tell me the law in this situation?” Locasso asked.
A: Under California Vehicle Code section 21806, drivers are required to yield the right of way to emergency vehicles displaying lights and sirens by moving to the right side of the roadway and stopping until the vehicle has passed. This rule is designed to create a clear and predictable path for first responders during emergencies, said Officer Ivan Sandoval with the Inland Division of the California Highway Patrol.
Whether this requirement applies to drivers on the opposite side of the road depends on the type of divider separating traffic, Sandoval said. If there is no physical barrier, such as on a two-lane road or a road with only painted lines in the median or a center turn lane, drivers in both directions must yield and stop. In these situations, emergency vehicles may need to use opposing lanes to navigate around congestion, making it critical that all traffic yields, Sandoval said.
However, when a roadway is divided by a raised median, curb, or a landscaped center divider that physically prevents vehicles from crossing over, drivers traveling on the opposite side are generally not required to stop, he said.
“These barriers create a clear separation between directions of travel, meaning the emergency vehicle is not expected to enter opposing lanes,” Sandoval said.
“A good rule of thumb is that if an emergency vehicle could reasonably enter your lane, you should yield and stop. If a physical barrier prevents that from happening, you may continue driving, but always with heightened awareness,” Sandoval said.
10 Freeway expansion?
Q: Gene DeFouw of Beaumont asked if Riverside County transportation officials have any plans to expand the 10 Freeway to four lanes in both directions from County Line Road in the Calimesa area to Beaumont?
A: Caltrans does not have any such plans at this time, said spokesperson Eric Dionne. As for expanding freeway lanes, Dionne said Caltrans has taken a “multimodal approach” in recent years, focusing instead on developing mass transit. “The Riverside County Transportation Commission would take the lead for major projects as it is the primary agency for regional congestion relief in Riverside County,” Dionne said.
The RCTC’s 10 Freeway Truck Climbing Lane project is a long-range project that will add an eastbound truck lane from the San Bernardino County line to Banning. Unfortunately, there is no anticipated start or completion date for this project, said David Knudsen, the RCTC’s deputy executive director.
The RCTC is considering other improvements on the 10 to improve traffic flow. “Last year, the commission directed staff to begin a study focusing on using technology to improve traffic conditions. This may include optimizing ramp meter timing to help maintain a consistent flow of traffic,” Knudsen said.
Other potential projects for the 10 Freeway can be found in the commission’s Traffic Relief Plan at trafficreliefplan.org. This is a long-term plan for transportation in Riverside County and includes projects that could be completed if and when funding comes available.
Do you commute to work in the Inland Empire? Spend a lot of time in your vehicle? Have questions about driving, freeways, toll roads or parking? If so, write or call On the Road and we’ll try to answer your questions. Please include your question or issue, name, city of residence, phone number and email address. Write ontheroad@scng.com or call 951-368-9995. Note that we may use material from letters or phone calls in future columns.
