WASHINGTON, DC — DC Fire & EMS officials say they’re constantly dealing with drivers who don’t move out of the way for emergency vehicles.
Captain Mark Baker said, “It happens all the time.” In fact, according to him, he see’s it on the majority of the calls he runs on his shift.
Baker attributes the problem to drivers who are generally distracted or just oblivious to their surroundings. 9NEWS NOW rode along with a paramedic crew and saw exactly what the problem is all about. In one instance, a minivan illegally double parked in a Columbia Heights apartment complex parking lot refused to move.
The ambulance blaring its siren and flashing its light finally got through after an officer ordered the driver to move to the side.
According to DC municipal regulations, a driver caught failing to yield the right of way to an emergency vehicle can face up to a $150 fine.