It was about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday when an ambulance, with flashing lights and blaring sirens, tried desperately to make its way through heavy traffic at 24th Street West and Broadwater Avenue.

Someone's life was likely hanging in the balance. Was it your loved one?

Yet, some motorists at the nearly clogged intersection seemed frozen in place, refusing to make way for the ambulance.

At one moment, the emergency vehicle nearly came to a stall and blared its horn at a motorists who sat at the light refusing to move. The ambulance had to maneuver around the motorist.

When did some people in society become so selfish, so self-absorbed and so ignorant of basic traffic laws that they jeopardize the lives of others.

Anyone with a valid driver's license should know that you must yield the right of way to police vehicles, fire engines, ambulances or other emergency vehicles using a siren and red or blue flashing lights.

For those of you who need a refresher course, here it is in a nutshell, according to Montana's Rules of the Road. When you see or hear emergency vehicles, you must:

  • Pull over to the right edge of the road when you see or hear an emergency vehicle approaching from any direction.
  • Follow any instructions given over the emergency vehicle loud speaker.
  • STOP and wait until the emergency vehicle has passed.
  • If you are in an intersection, drive through the intersection before you pull over and stop.
  • Signal and move into the passing lane to pass a traffic stop or accident.
It's the law.

 

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