Drivers must stay at least how many feet behind responding emergency vehicles?

• A. 100 feet
• B. 300 feet
• C. 200 feet
• D. 400 feet

Answer: (C)

Giving emergency responders space is essential. When a vehicle with lights and siren is on the way to an incident, you should maintain a safe following distance so they have room to maneuver and you have time to react to any sudden moves. The recommended distance is about two hundred feet behind the responding emergency vehicle. This buffer helps prevent tailgating, reduces the chance you’ll be in its path if it brakes or changes lanes, and gives drivers behind you enough time to react as well. If traffic makes it impossible to maintain that distance, slow down and let the emergency vehicle pass before rejoining traffic. Keeping a shorter distance increases risk for everyone and keeping an excessively large gap can hinder traffic flow, but the standard rule used in driver safety materials is the two-hundred-foot buffer.