08/23/2026
When a road is closed during an emergency situation there is a very important reason for it being closed and people need to respect the barricades cones fire trucks and emergency personnel blocking the roadway. Whether there is a serious crash, a fire, a medical emergency, a hazardous situation downed power lines flooding , or another emergency happening ahead there may be firefighters, police officers, EMS crews or other emergency workers actively working in the area and driving through the closure can put everyone at risk. You should NEVER move barricades, go around cones, drive between emergency vehicles or try to squeeze past a fire truck just because you think you can get through. Those cones and barricades are there to create a safe working area and to keep civilians away from hazards that may not be obvious from a distance. Emergency crews also need room to move equipment and vehicles and they may need to quickly leave the scene or bring another emergency vehicle into the area. A driver coming through a closed roadway can create an additional emergency by hitting an emergency vehicle or a person working on the scene. Even if the road looks clear from where you are sitting you do not know what is happening farther ahead or why the roadway was closed in the first place. Waiting a few extra minutes or finding another route is always better than putting yourself emergency responders or other people in danger. If you come across a road closure during an emergency the safest thing to do is slow down follow the directions of police, firefighters, or other authorized personnel and turn around or take another route when instructed. Emergency scenes are not the place to take chances or assume that the closure does not apply to you. Barricades cones and emergency vehicles are there for a reason so respect the closure give responders the space they need and remember that getting around a roadblock is never worth risking someone's safety or interfering with people who are working to help others.
