Which of the following actions is required when you see an emergency vehicle approaching with lights flashing?

When an emergency vehicle is approaching with lights flashing, the correct action to take is to pull over to the right side of the road and stop. This response is crucial for several reasons. First, it ensures the safety of emergency personnel who may need to exit their vehicle quickly or attend to an incident. Additionally, allowing the emergency vehicle to pass unimpeded helps expedite their response time, which can be critical in emergency situations.

Pulling over to the right also aligns with traffic laws in Illinois and many other states, which mandate that drivers yield to emergency vehicles by moving to the right side of the roadway and stopping until the vehicle has passed. This action avoids confusion and helps create a clear path for the emergency vehicle, greatly improving the efficiency of emergency responses in situations where every second counts.

Other options, such as speeding up to stay ahead or maintaining your speed, can create hazardous situations, as they do not provide any advantage to the emergency vehicle. Turning onto a side street might be appropriate in some contexts, but it can also pose risks unless the driver is sure no other traffic is approaching or if the maneuver does not further obstruct the emergency vehicle. Overall, pulling over to the right and stopping is the safest and most effective response.