Pulling Over and People on the Road
R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-17-6 — to the right and stopped for a siren, and fines for hurting a walker, cyclist or worker by carelessness
When an emergency vehicle approaches with a lit red, blue or white lamp and a siren, whistle or bell, every other driver yields, pulls parallel to and as close as possible to the right edge, clear of any intersection, and stops until it has passed.
A driver who fails to use due care and injures a vulnerable road user is fined, beyond any other charge. Vulnerable road users include pedestrians, cyclists, police or emergency workers outside a vehicle, highway workers, wheelchair users and skaters.
| Harm to a vulnerable road user | Fine | License |
|---|---|---|
| Harm to a vulnerable road userBodily injury | Fine$200 | LicenseNo suspension named |
| Harm to a vulnerable road userSerious bodily injury | Fine$500 | LicenseThree months |
| Harm to a vulnerable road userDeath | Fine$1,000 | LicenseOne year |
The emergency driver still has to drive with due regard for everyone else. A particular situation is a question for a licensed Rhode Island attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-17-6 — Yielding to emergency vehicle
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-15-20 — Unsafe passing of a vulnerable road user
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Rhode Island attorney.