Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 89, § 7A (2026)

Restrictions on use of ways upon approach of emergency vehicles

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 7A. Upon the approach of any fire apparatus, police vehicle, ambulance or disaster vehicle which is going to a fire or responding to call, alarm or emergency situation, every person driving a vehicle on a way shall immediately drive said vehicle as far as possible toward the right-hand curb or side of said way and shall keep the same at a standstill until such fire apparatus, police vehicle, ambulance or disaster vehicle has passed. No person shall drive a vehicle over a hose of a fire department without the consent of a member of such department. No person shall drive a vehicle within three hundred feet of any fire apparatus going to a fire or responding to an alarm, nor drive said vehicle, or park or leave the same unattended, within eight hundred feet of a fire or within the fire lanes established by the fire department, or upon or beside any traveled way, whether public or private, leading to the scene of a fire, in such a manner as to obstruct the approach to the fire of any fire apparatus or any ambulance, safety or police vehicle, or of any vehicle bearing an official fire or police department designation. Authorized police or fire department personnel may tow a vehicle found to be in violation of the provisions of this section or which is illegally parked or standing in a fire lane as established by the fire department, whether or not a fire is in progress, and such personnel shall not be subject to the provisions of section one hundred and twenty D of chapter two hundred and sixty-six. No person shall operate a motor vehicle behind any such fire apparatus, ambulance, safety or police vehicle, or any vehicle bearing an official fire or police department designation which is operating with emergency systems on, for a distance of three hundred feet. Violation of any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 2 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1991–2025 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Kerr, 565 N.E.2d 1201 (Mass. 1991).

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Commonwealth v. Kerr, 565 N.E.2d 1201 (Mass. 1991). · cites it 2× “90, § 25 (any person who refuses to stop automobile when signalled by a police officer in uniform or conspicuously displaying badge shall be punished); G.L.c. 89, § 7A (no person may obstruct police vehicles or vehicles bearing official police department designation at or on the…”

Commonwealth v. Matthew Davis. (Mass. App. Ct. 2025). “G. L. c. 89, § 7A. Although the defendant points out that stopping in a bicycle lane is prohibited, this is subject to an "except[ion] in a case of emergency.”

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