§ 265:37-a — Motorist Duties When Approaching Highway Emergencies

New Hampshire § 265:37-a

• Jurisdiction: New Hampshire
• Title XXI: MOTOR VEHICLES
• Ch. 265: RULES OF THE ROAD
• Subdivision: Pedestrians' Rights and Duties

Text

I. When in or approaching an incident involving a fire, collision, disaster, utility construction or maintenance, or other emergency resulting in partial or complete blockage of a highway, or a location where a police officer has made a traffic stop, or a stopped or standing vehicle displaying warning signals, including vehicle hazard warning lights, road flares, traffic cones, caution signs, or any nonvehicular warning signs, every driver other than the driver of an emergency response vehicle, shall:
(a) Maintain a reduced speed and if practical give a wide berth, without endangering oncoming traffic, to public safety personnel, any persons in the roadway, and vehicles displaying blue, red, or amber emergency, warning lights, or a stopped or standing vehicle.
(b) Obey the directions of any authorized person directing traffic and of all applicable emergency signals and traffic control devices.
(c) Vacate as soon as possible any lane wholly or partially blocked.
II. Any person violating this section shall be fined $75 plus penalty assessment for a first offense and $250 plus penalty assessment for a subsequent offense in a 12-month period.

Legislative History

2004, 193:3. 2008, 146:1, eff. Aug. 5, 2008. 2015, 112:2, eff. Aug. 7, 2015; 202:3, eff. Jan. 1, 2016. 2019, 11:1, eff. July 9, 2019. 2025, 254:2, eff. Sept. 13, 2025.