How far behind a fire truck answering an alarm may you follow, state by state?
Every state’s answer, and the District of Columbia’s, from its own manual or code: 46 have a rule on this, quoted below with where it is written; 5 say nothing on it.
Statutes fetched between 5 and 9 October 2026; manuals fetched between 6 September and 4 October 2026. How the answers are made
| State | The rule | Where it is written | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Only vehicles on necessary official business may follow within 500 feet of an emergency vehicle on an emergency run. | Alabama Driver Manual, p.65 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Alaska | (a) A driver of a vehicle, other than one on official business with respect to the emergency to which an emergency vehicle is responding, may not follow an authorized emergency vehicle traveling in response to an emergency and displaying visual or audible signals, as required by sec. 517 of this chapter, closer than 500 feet. A driver may not stop, stand or park his vehicle within 500 feet of fire apparatus stopped in answer to a fire alarm. | Alaska law, 13 AAC 02.520(a) | 6 Oct 2026 |
| Arizona | You must stay at least 500 feet behind a fire department vehicle responding to an emergency. | Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide, p.38 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| California | It is against the law to follow within 300 feet of any fire engine, law enforcement vehicle, ambulance or other emergency vehicle when its siren or flashing lights are on. | California Driver’s Handbook, p.45 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Colorado | The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than five hundred feet or drive into or park such vehicle within the block where fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm. Any person who violates any provision of this section commits a class A traffic infraction. | Colorado law, C.R.S. § 42-4-1403 | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Connecticut | (a) No driver of a vehicle other than one on official business relating to the emergency shall follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than five hundred feet or park such vehicle within the block where fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm. | Connecticut law, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-296b(a) | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Delaware | (a) No driver of any vehicle, other than on official business, shall follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than 500 feet or drive into or park such vehicle within 500 feet where fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm. No person shall be deemed to have violated this subsection with regard to parking if the act of parking was done prior to the giving of alarm of such fire. | Delaware law, 21 Del. C. § 4188(a) | 7 Oct 2026 |
| District of Columbia | Do not follow any fire apparatus closer than 500 feet when it is responding to an emergency. | DC Driver Manual, p.60 | 16 Sep 2026 |
| Florida | It is against the law to follow a fire truck responding to an emergency closer than 500 feet. | Official Florida Driver License Handbook, p.62 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Georgia | Unless you are on official business you may not follow a fire truck answering an alarm closer than 200 feet, or park within 500 feet of one that has stopped at an alarm. | Georgia Driver's Manual, p.60 | 18 Sep 2026 |
| Hawaii | The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow any emergency vehicle traveling in response to an emergency closer than five hundred feet or drive or park such vehicle within five hundred feet of where the emergency vehicle has stopped in answer to a fire alarm. | Hawaii law, Haw. Rev. Stat. § 291C-128 | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Idaho | The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow closer than five hundred (500) feet any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm, or stop a vehicle within five hundred (500) feet of any fire apparatus stopped in answer to a fire alarm. | Idaho law, Idaho Code § 49-626 | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Illinois | The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than 500 feet or stop such vehicle within 500 feet of any fire apparatus stopped in answer to a fire alarm. | Illinois law, 625 ILCS 5/11-1411 | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Indiana | (a) A person who drives a vehicle that is not on official business for the state, a unit of government, a fire department, including a volunteer fire department, a law enforcement agency, or an emergency ambulance service may not do any of the following: (1) Follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm at a distance closer than five hundred (500) feet. (2) Drive into or park a vehicle within the block where fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm. | Indiana law, Ind. Code § 9-21-12-7(a) | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Iowa | The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than five hundred feet or drive into or park such vehicle within the block where fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm. | Iowa law, Iowa Code § 321.367 | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Kansas | The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than five hundred (500) feet or stop such vehicle within five hundred (500) feet of any fire apparatus stopped in answer to a fire alarm. | Kansas law, K.S.A. 8-1581 | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Kentucky | It is unlawful in Kentucky to follow any emergency vehicle closer than 500 feet. | Kentucky Driver Manual, p.65 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Louisiana | It is unlawful to follow an emergency vehicle responding to a call closer than 500 feet. | Class D & E Driver's Guide, p.97 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Maine | In Maine, it is unlawful to follow within 500 feet of a fire truck responding to a fire alarm. | Maine Driver’s License Manual, p.109 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Maryland | Unless on official business, you may not follow within 500 feet of a fire truck answering an alarm, or drive or park within 300 feet of one stopped at an alarm. | Maryland law, Md. Code, Transp. § 21-1109(a) | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Massachusetts | It is illegal to follow closer than 300 feet behind an emergency vehicle responding to an alarm. | Massachusetts Driver's Manual, p.120 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Michigan | Stay at least 500 feet behind any moving emergency vehicle displaying flashing warning lights and sounding a siren. | What Every Driver Must Know, p.28 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Minnesota | The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than 500 feet, or drive into or park such vehicle within the block where a fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm. | Minnesota law, Minn. Stat. § 169.40, subd. 1 | 8 Oct 2026 |
| Montana | The operator of a vehicle other than one on official business may not follow a fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire call closer than 500 feet or drive into or stop the vehicle within 500 feet of where the fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire call. | Montana law, Mont. Code Ann. § 61-8-363 | 8 Oct 2026 |
| Nebraska | No vehicle may follow a fire apparatus traveling in an emergency status closer than 500 feet. | Nebraska Driver’s Manual, p.52 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Nevada | The driver of any motor vehicle other than an authorized emergency vehicle on official business shall not follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than 500 feet or driving to or park such vehicle within 500 feet of fire apparatus which stopped in answer to a fire alarm. | Nevada law, NRS 484B.710 | 8 Oct 2026 |
| New Hampshire | Drivers must not follow a fire truck closer than 500 feet when it is sounding a siren or operating flashing lights. | New Hampshire Driver's Manual, p.40 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| New Jersey | A driver keeps at least 300 feet behind a signaling emergency vehicle. | New Jersey Driver Manual, p.78 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| New Mexico | A. The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than five hundred feet, or drive into or park such vehicle within the block where fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm. | New Mexico law, NMSA 1978, § 66-7-361(A) | 8 Oct 2026 |
| New York | The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow any authorized emergency fire vehicle in the same lane or an adjacent lane to the one being used by such fire vehicle at a distance closer than two hundred feet while such fire vehicle is displaying one or more red or combination red and white lights, or one white light which must be a revolving, rotating, flashing, oscillating or constantly moving light, nor shall such driver drive into or park his or her vehicle within the block or where there is no block, within one thousand feet of where such fire vehicle has stopped in answer to a fire alarm. | New York law, N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 1217 | 8 Oct 2026 |
| North Carolina | Do not drive or park closer than one block from fire trucks responding to a fire alarm, and never drive over a fire hose. | North Carolina Driver Handbook, p.48 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| North Dakota | The driver of a vehicle other than one on official business may not follow closer than five hundred feet [152.4 meters] behind an emergency vehicle displaying the appropriate light for that vehicle in an emergency. A driver of a vehicle other than one on official business may not stop the vehicle within two hundred feet [60.96 meters] of any emergency vehicle stopped in answer to a 911 emergency. | North Dakota law, N.D.C.C. § 39-10-57 | 8 Oct 2026 |
| Ohio | (A) The driver of any vehicle, other than an emergency vehicle or public safety vehicle on official business, shall not follow any emergency vehicle or public safety vehicle traveling in response to an alarm closer than five hundred feet, or drive into or park such vehicle within the block where fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm, unless directed to do so by a police officer or a firefighter. | Ohio law, Ohio Rev. Code § 4511.72(A) | 8 Oct 2026 |
| Oregon | After an emergency vehicle passes, you must stay at least 500 feet behind it. | 2026-2027 Oregon Driver Manual, p.58 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than 500 feet or stop the vehicle within 500 feet of any fire apparatus stopped in answer to a fire alarm. | Pennsylvania law, 75 Pa.C.S. § 3707 | 8 Oct 2026 |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island tells drivers to stay 500 feet behind emergency vehicles. | Rhode Island Driver’s Manual, p.36 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| South Carolina | The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to an emergency closer than five hundred feet or stop such vehicle within five hundred feet of any fire apparatus stopped in answer to an emergency. | South Carolina law, S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-1960 | 8 Oct 2026 |
| South Dakota | It is a Class 2 misdemeanor for the driver of any vehicle other than one on official business to follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than five hundred feet or to drive into or park such vehicle within the block where the fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm. | South Dakota law, SDCL § 32-31-7 | 8 Oct 2026 |
| Texas | A driver may not follow within 500 feet of a fire truck answering an alarm or an ambulance with its flashing red lights on. | Texas Driver Handbook, p.22 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Utah | Unless on official business, a Utah driver may not follow within 500 feet of any fire vehicle responding to an alarm. | Utah Driver Handbook 2026-2027, p.77 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Vermont | No operator of a motor vehicle, other than one on official business relating to the suppression of fire or the handling of an emergency, shall follow any fire apparatus traveling to an emergency closer than 500 feet, or in a manner to interfere with the suppression of a fire or the handling of the emergency, or so as to endanger the life of any occupant of the fire apparatus, or thereafter park his or her vehicle so as to interfere with the suppression of a fire or the handling of the emergency. | Vermont law, 23 V.S.A. § 1122 | 8 Oct 2026 |
| Virginia | You may never follow an emergency vehicle closer than 500 feet while its lights are flashing. | Virginia Driver's Manual, p.16 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Washington | The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than five hundred feet or stop such vehicle within five hundred feet of any fire apparatus stopped in answer to a fire alarm. | Washington law, RCW 46.61.635 | 8 Oct 2026 |
| West Virginia | (a) The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business may not follow any authorized emergency vehicle traveling in response to a fire alarm or other emergency closer than five hundred feet or drive into or park such vehicle within the block where such authorized emergency vehicle has stopped in answer to a fire alarm or other emergency. | West Virginia law, W. Va. Code § 17C-14-9(a) | 9 Oct 2026 |
| Wisconsin | The operator of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow an authorized emergency vehicle responding to a call or alarm closer than 500 feet or drive into or park his or her vehicle within the block where, or within 300 feet of the driveway entrance or similar point of access to a driveway or road on which, fire apparatus has stopped in response to an alarm. The personal vehicles of members of a volunteer fire department answering the alarm are considered on official business. | Wisconsin law, Wis. Stat. § 346.90 | 8 Oct 2026 |
| Wyoming | The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than five hundred (500) feet or stop the vehicle within five hundred (500) feet of any fire apparatus stopped in answer to a fire alarm. | Wyoming law, Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 31-5-231 | 9 Oct 2026 |
Download this comparison as CSV
No rule found
No rule found in the manual or code of: Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee.
Monthly: what changed in state driving law. Get it by email
Ask a question across every state
The ask box answers “How far behind a fire truck answering an alarm may you follow?” for every state at once when Nationwide is ticked: each state’s figure from its own manual or code, cited, and the states that say nothing named.