Senate Bill S5661

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Relates to the operation of vehicles on approach of authorized emergency vehicles

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Transportation Committee

  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2025-S5661 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Transportation
Law Section:
Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §1144, V & T L

2025-S5661 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires drivers to create a center rescue lane on approach of authorized emergency vehicles.

2025-S5661 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S5661 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5661
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 26, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sen. OBERACKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to operation of
   vehicles on approach of authorized emergency vehicles
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 1144 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended  by
 chapter  300  of the laws of 1960, subdivision (a) as amended by chapter
 606 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
   § 1144. Operation of vehicles  on  approach  of  authorized  emergency
 vehicles.    (a)  Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency
 vehicle equipped with at least one lighted  lamp  exhibiting  red  light
 visible  under  normal  atmospheric  conditions  from a distance of five
 hundred feet to the front of such vehicle other than a police vehicle or
 bicycle when operated as an authorized emergency vehicle, and when audi-
 ble signals are sounded from any said vehicle by siren, exhaust whistle,
 bell, air-horn or electronic equivalent; the driver of every other vehi-
 cle shall yield the right of way and shall immediately drive to a  posi-
 tion  parallel  to,  and as close as possible to [the right-hand] EITHER
 edge or curb of the roadway TO CREATE A RESCUE LANE IN THE CENTER, or to
 [either edge of a one-way roadway three or  more  lanes  in  width]  THE
 RIGHT-HAND  EDGE  OF  A  ROADWAY  ONE LANE IN WIDTH, clear of any inter-
 section, and shall stop and remain in such position until the authorized
 emergency vehicle has passed, unless  otherwise  directed  by  a  police
 officer.
   (b)  IN  INSTANCES WHEN TRAFFIC IS MOVING SLOWLY, STOPPED, OR IN GRID-
 LOCK DRIVERS SHALL CREATE A RESCUE LANE TO  ALLOW  AUTHORIZED  EMERGENCY
 VEHICLES  TO PASS. ON ROADWAYS WITH MULTIPLE LANES OF TRAFFIC DRIVERS IN
 THE LEFTMOST LANE SHALL MOVE TO THE LEFT EDGE OF THE ROADWAY, DRIVERS IN
 THE RIGHTMOST LANE SHALL MOVE TO THE RIGHT  EDGE  OF  THE  ROADWAY,  AND
 DRIVERS  IN  THE  CENTER  LANES  SHALL  MOVE TOWARD THE LEFT OR RIGHT TO
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10331-01-5

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