Sirens, and Moving Over
Ala. Code § 32-5A-58.2 — pull right and stop for a siren; move over, or slow by 15, for lights on the roadside
When an emergency vehicle with a lighted lamp and an audible signal is coming, every other driver yields, pulls at once to a position as close as possible to the right edge or curb and clear of any intersection, and stops there until it has passed, unless a police officer directs otherwise.
Who handles this in Alabama: Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Alabama directory.
Police lights may be red or blue, and those of fire trucks, ambulances and other emergency vehicles are red. No vehicle but a police vehicle uses a blue light. An amber or yellow light is a warning only, and nobody has to yield to it.
- The rule covers a police or emergency vehicle parked with its lights on, a wrecker at work, a utility vehicle at work, a road crew vehicle with flashing lights, and a garbage or recycling truck collecting on the roadside.
- With two or more lanes going its way, a driver leaves the lane closest to it as soon as it is safe, or, when moving over is not safe, slows to at least 15 miles per hour under the posted limit.
- On a two lane road, a driver moves as far from it as possible within the lane and slows to 15 under a limit of 25 or more, or to 10 miles per hour where the limit is 20 or less.
| Not moving over or slowing | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Not moving over or slowingA first violation | PenaltyA $200 fine |
| Not moving over or slowingA second violation | PenaltyA $250 fine |
| Not moving over or slowingA third or later violation | PenaltyA $300 fine, and a suspension of at least 90 days |
| Not moving over or slowingA collision causing physical injury | PenaltyClass A misdemeanor |
| Not moving over or slowingA collision causing serious physical injury | PenaltyClass C felony |
| Not moving over or slowingA collision causing a death | PenaltyClass B felony |
Sources for this section (2)
- Ala. Code § 32-5A-115 — Operation of Vehicles on Approach of Authorized Emergency Vehicles; Signals on Emergency Vehicles; Duty of Emergency Vehicle Driver
- Ala. Code § 32-5A-58.2 — Moving Over or Reducing Speed When Approaching Law Enforcement Vehicles, Emergency Vehicles, Etc
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Alabama attorney.