All Buffalo residents rely on the police and other emergency operators, such as firefighters and paramedics, to keep us safe. As a result, there are certain driving rules, including speeding and passing red lights, that these drivers are specifically exempted from when engaged in an emergency operation.
For all emergency vehicles except police cars, the vehicles lights and siren must be activated before they may violate the normal rules of the road. Police vehicles, however, are not required to activate their lights and siren before engaging in the proscribed conduct.
Despite this rule, police vehicles – like other emergency responders – are required to be responding to an emergency operation before violating the normal rules of the road. Even in such a situation, they still are not completely unfettered from any driving rules. In a lawsuit, however, it must be shown that the emergency operator was not only negligent, but driving with “reckless disregard” for others. This is a much more difficult standard to prove.
If you have been injured in a car accident and have any questions, please feel free to call us at 716-542-5444.
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