Emergency vehicles racing to save lives can create heightened stress for everyone on the road. Each year in Texas, many accidents occur between civilian vehicles and emergency responders with active sirens.
Understanding your rights is key when sharing the road with emergency vehicles responding to urgent situations. The mix of high speeds, urgency and split-second decisions can lead to dangerous encounters between civilian drivers and emergency responders.
What to do immediately after the accident
The moments following a collision with an emergency vehicle require specific actions to protect your rights and ensure proper documentation of the incident. Here are key steps you must keep in mind:
- Scene safety: Move your vehicle to a safe location if possible and turn on your hazard lights to prevent more accidents.
- Medical response: Accept medical evaluation even if you feel fine, as shock can hide injury symptoms.
- Documentation: Take photos of all vehicles involved, road conditions and any traffic signals or signs.
- Information gathering: Take note of the emergency vehicle number, department name and the badge numbers of responding officers.
- Witness info: Collect contact details from witnesses who saw the accident take place.
You need to take extra steps when you crash with an emergency vehicle compared to regular car accidents.
Understanding your legal position
Texas law provides special protection for emergency vehicles operating with active sirens and lights. However, there are limits.
Emergency responders need to drive safely even during urgent calls. While they have special rights on the road, they can still face blame if they drive recklessly.
Several key factors can determine who is at fault, such as bad weather, poor visibility or the type of emergency they were handling.
If you want compensation after an emergency vehicle accident, you must follow special rules and meet firm deadlines. A lawyer who understands vehicle accidents can help you handle government rules and file your claim on time.