Three people were injured Thursday when a Walton County firetruck crashed into a pickup truck in the middle of a Rockdale County intersection.
The firetruck was on its way to the scene of another wreck when it collided with the Ford F-250 in the intersection of Miller Bottom Road and Ga. 138, according to the Georgia State Patrol. While its emergency equipment was activated, the GSP said the firetruck “failed to use proper due regard” when entering the intersection.
The pickup was traveling east on Ga. 138 and had the green light as it approached Miller Bottom Road, the spokesman said. The firetruck, which was headed south on Miller Bottom, did not.
After impact, the F-250 traveled a short distance before rolling onto its top, according to the GSP. All three people inside the pickup sustained injuries, and two of the passengers were taken to an Atlanta-area hospital for further treatment.
“While a lot of people may believe all emergency vehicles have the right of way, they often do not,” GSP spokeswoman Lt. Stephanie Stallings said in an email.
Emergency vehicles, such as ambulances and firetrucks, may proceed past a red light or stop sign under Georgia law, but only after slowing down. They may only continue through an intersection when it is safe, and the traffic with the right of way has yielded, Stallings said.
“The lights and sirens of an authorized emergency vehicle do not automatically give right of way,” she said. “It is the responsibility of the driver to make sure the way is clear prior to proceeding.”
We’ve reached out to officials in Walton County for more information.
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