Emergency vehicles, with lights flashing and sirens blaring, race down streets every day.

The greatest danger these emergency vehicles face on the road are other drivers who do not pull over properly.

According to a DeKalb Fire Department press release, some estimates show that up to 60 percent of drivers do not properly yield to emergency vehicles.

“It happens so frequently it slows our response down,” Fire Chief Lanny Russell said. “We have to be so very careful.”

According to the press release, it is the driver’s legal responsibility to yield immediately the right of way to an emergency vehicle. The proper way to do this is by pulling as far to the right as possible and bring the vehicle to a complete stop.

“I would imagine you pull over to the right,” Jessica Strey-Kieser, junior art major, said when questioned about how to stop properly.

Kieser said she thinks most people just slow down and do not pull over.

Russell said that the new Scott laws in place are there to help deter people from speeding or improperly stopping for emergency vehicles.

“What worries me the most is the cars that just stop where they are,” Russell said. Examples of improper yielding are drivers who move to the right without slowing down, slowing down without moving right and those who ignore emergency vehicles completely.

When approached by an emergency vehicle, pull as far to the right as possible and come to a complete stop. If there is no room to the right, do not pull into oncoming traffic. Also, do not block intersections and never proceed through a red light to get out of the way of an emergency vehicle.

Do not pull into an intersection until the emergency vehicle has cleared the intersection completely.

If an emergency vehicle is coming from the opposite direction, pull to the right and try to make eye contact with the driver. Emergency vehicles often travel in tandem, so be sure to check before proceeding.

Even though most delays result in a relatively short amount of time, proper stopping is important.

“If someone has a heart attack we basically have four minutes before you have brain damage,” Russell said. “We are literally down to seconds.”