AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO OPERATION OF VEHICLES ON APPROACH OF AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLES.

This Act addresses the growing concern over the safety of emergency responders. It increases the penalties for persons who violate this section, which requires drivers to yield the right of way to an emergency vehicle making use of audible or visual signals, or a police vehicle using an audible signal only. The fines are increased and after two penalties, a person who violates this section will be subject to a 90-day suspension of their driver’s license. This change in fines and loss of driving privileges increases the penalty to make this a serious offense. This Act also clarifies that a driver who is unable to safely yield the right of way must slow to at least 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit. There have been numerous accidents causing personal injury and even death by inattentive drivers. Hopefully, this will help improve awareness and safety and avoid putting our Police, Fire, Ambulance, Paramedics, Fire Police, DelDOT employees, tow truck operators , utility crews and the distressed citizen broken down on our highways in jeopardy.