Which Types of Vehicles are Indiana Drivers Required to Yield the Right of Way To?
Car crashes have been and continue to be a leading cause of injury and death in Indiana as well as all other states in the U.S. One of the reasons why this statistic stands true has to do with the behavior and attitude of certain motorists. Not only are drivers not being cautious or courteous to one another, but they are also unaware of certain laws they are required to abide by which only increases the chances of a crash transpiring. For instance, there are a significant number of drivers today who are unaware of which types of vehicles they are required to give the right of way to which results in them failing to do so and encountering some pretty close calls.
In fact, Fox 59 recently reported that funeral escorts are finding that because drivers are not adhering to Indiana’s right of way laws, they are engaging in accidents more frequently or at minimum, having some close calls with other cars. If you weren’t aware, “Indiana state law requires that drivers give the right of way to a funeral procession,” which means you are expected to stop and allow them the time needed to pass before continuing on with your drive.
Unfortunately, many drivers are neglecting to do so.
After the news outlet spoke with Shane Skeen, who has been a funeral escort for Indianapolis Funeral Escort Service for nine months now, he provided the source with video footage of a car blazing through a green light just moments after he had passed with his lights activated. Rather than stopping and waiting for the procession to pass, Skeen said that the driver did this “because the light was green [and] they didn’t want to stop.” Surprisingly, this happens much more often than you think.
Skeen said during his time working with the company, he has already “witnessed one of his partners get hit.” Last year, four riders were also hit while escorting a funeral procession. In 2017, one of the company’s riders even suffered fatal injuries after being hit while leading a funeral procession, says the news source. Aside from the accidents that have been recorded, Skeen also says he and other riders have come close to engaging in accidents but thankfully were able to dodge a collision.
What other types of vehicles must drivers yield the right of way to?
Funeral escorts aren’t the only individuals in which the law requires drivers to give the right of way to. In fact, Indiana law state’s that drivers must also give the right of way to the following types of vehicles:
- Emergency Vehicles
Whenever a driver encounters an ambulance, police officer, or fire rescue vehicle and their lights and/or sirens are activated, they must yield the right of way, says Indiana law. Motorists are required to “slow down, pull to the right of the road, and stop until [the] emergency vehicle passes.” In the event the emergency vehicle is stationary, you “must [also] slow down and move into a lane that is not adjacent to the emergency vehicle, if it is possible to do so safely. If it is not possible, you must slow down and proceed with caution.”
In the event the vehicle is a privately-owned vehicle that is equipped with flashing blue lights, these are used by volunteer firefighters responding to an alarm, and again, you must yield the right of way to them. If the vehicle has flashing green lights, it means it is being utilized by certified emergency medical technicians who are responding to emergencies so be sure to pull over and out of the way for these vehicles as well.
- Tow Trucks
Tow truck drivers are considered to be first responders as they are generally called to the scene of an accident involving a damaged vehicle or a motorist who suffered severe injuries that must be transported to an area hospital. Therefore, motorists are encouraged to be considerate to tow truck drivers as many are often involved in crashes themselves simply because drivers choose to not move over when they see one pulled off to the side of the road.
- School Buses
Indiana state law also requires motorists to stop when they approach a school bus that has their flashing red lights activated and their stop arm extended. These signs are an indication that children are entering or exiting the bus so to avoid from hitting one who might be crossing the street, motorists must stop until the bus turns off their lights and puts down its extended stop arm.
Until motorists put forth the effort to be more cautious, careful, and courteous while driving, it only likely that we will continue to see car crashes occur and even rise in number. And if you have been involved in an accident in Gary or Hammond, IN, whether it involved an emergency vehicle, school bus, or tow truck, you are encouraged to contact Marshall P. Whalley & Associates, PC to speak with a Gary, IN car accident lawyer. The fact is, you may be entitled to recover compensation for the unfortunate injuries you sustained, and our office has the knowledge, skill, and tools necessary to help you collect an amount that is favorable to you and your loved ones.
To learn more about our office and why our car accident lawyers are considered to be some of the best, contact us now at 219-769-2900.
You can also visit Marshall P. Whalley & Associates, PC at:
51 W. 112th Avenue
Crown Point, IN 46307
Phone-219-769-2900
Toll Free-855-442-7211
Fax- 219-769-2995
Website: www.marshallslaw.com
