Arizona trooper nearly hits driver who swerves into lane

Trooper nearly hits Arizona driver who swerves into lane

The Arizona Department of Public Safety says it's important to move over to the right when they have their siren on and lights flashing. "It's the law, and when seconds count, it's critical for first responders to know what to expect from other drivers," the department said.

PHOENIX - Officials with the Arizona Department of Public Safety shared a video of a near-crash involving a trooper, as they ask the public to follow the law, and move to the right-hand side of the road to make way for first responders.

In the video, a trooper car was seen driving down a highway at a high rate of speed when a car moved into the freeway from the left shoulder. Both cars quickly took measures to evade one another, however, thus averting a crash.

Officials did not state when the incident happened.

"Arizona law requires drivers to move their vehicles to the right side of roadways and highways when emergency vehicles approach from behind," officials wrote, in the video. "When seconds count, it's critical for first responders to know what to expect from the traffic in front of them."

DPS officials are referring to A.R.S. 28-775. which states that when a driver sees an "authorized emergency vehicle that is equipped with at least one lighted lamp exhibiting a red or red and blue light or lens visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of five hundred feet to the front of the vehicle and that is giving an audible signal by siren, exhaust whistle or bell," the driver needs to yield the right-of-way, immediately "to a position parallel to and as close as possible to the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway clear of any intersection," and stay there until the emergency vehicle has passed.