The Law

  §  1144-a. Operation of vehicles when approaching a parked, stopped or standing authorized emergency  vehicle  or  hazard  vehicle.  (a)  Every operator of a motor vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with an  authorized  emergency  vehicle  which  is  parked,  stopped  or  standing  on  the  shoulder  or  any  portion  of  such highway and such  authorized  emergency  vehicle  is  displaying  one  or  more   red   or  combination red and white lights pursuant to the provisions of paragraph  two  of  subdivision  forty-one of section three hundred seventy-five of  this chapter. For operators of motor vehicles on parkways or  controlled  access  highways,  such  due  care shall include, but not be limited to,  moving from a lane which contains or  is  immediately  adjacent  to  the  shoulder  where such authorized emergency vehicle displaying one or more  red or combination red and white lights pursuant to  the  provisions  of  paragraph   two  of  subdivision  forty-one  of  section  three  hundred  seventy-five of this chapter is parked, stopped or standing  to  another  lane,   provided   that   such  movement  otherwise  complies  with  the  requirements  of  this  chapter  including,  but  not  limited  to,  the  provisions  of  sections  eleven  hundred  ten  of this title and eleven  hundred twenty-eight of this title.   

(b) Every operator of a motor vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid  colliding with a hazard vehicle which is parked, stopped or standing  on  the  shoulder  or on any portion of such highway and such hazard vehicle  is displaying one or more amber lights pursuant  to  the  rovisions  of  paragraph  three  of  subdivision  forty-one  of  section  three hundred  seventy-five of  this  chapter.  For  operators  of  motor  vehicles  on  parkways or controlled access highways, such due care shall include, but  not  be  limited to, moving from a lane which contains or is immediately  adjacent to the shoulder where such hazard  vehicle  displaying  one  or  more  amber  lights  pursuant  to  the  provisions of paragraph three of  subdivision forty-one of section  three  hundred  seventy-five  of  this  chapter  is  parked,  stopped or standing to another lane, provided that  such movement otherwise complies with the requirements of  this  chapter  including, but not limited to, the provisions of sections eleven hundred  ten and eleven hundred twenty-eight of this title.

Protects law enforcement officers, emergency workers, tow and service vehicle operators and other maintenance workers stopped along roadways while performing their duties.

• Drivers must use due care when approaching an emergency vehicle that displays red and/or white emergency lighting:
  
  
On all roads and highways, drivers must reduce speed;


• On Parkways and other controlled access highways with multiple lanes, when approaching an emergency vehicle that displays red and/or white emergency lighting or a hazard vehicle displaying flashing amber lighting, drivers must move from the lane immediately adjacent to the emergency or hazard vehicle, unless traffic or other hazards exist to prevent doing so safely.
  
  

• Violations of this law are punishable as a moving violation.