Police are authorized to use their emergency lights and/or siren when responding to certain situations that justify an emergency or expedited response such as medical emergencies, intrusion alarms or crimes in progress calls. If an officer is advised while they are in route to the call that there is no longer an emergency situation they are obligated to turn off their emergency equipment.

Do drivers have to yield to pedestrians?

According to state law, drivers are required to yield to pedestrians:
- Who have started crossing an intersection or crosswalk on a walk signal or on a green light if there's no walk signal.
- Who are crossing the road within a marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection where there are no traffic lights or control signals.
- When a vehicle is crossing a sidewalk or entering an alley or driveway.
- In addition, drivers may not legally overtake and pass any vehicle that has stopped for pedestrians at an intersection or crosswalk.

Drivers who fail to yield the right of way to pedestrians who are legally crossing roadways may be issued citations that cost approximately $160 to $217 (depending on the type of violation) along with four demerit points assessed on their license. A citation for passing a vehicle that is stopped for pedestrians costs $312 with three demerit points.

You must yield the right-of-way to police vehicles, fire trucks, ambulances or other emergency vehicles using a siren, air horn or a red or blue flashing light. Pull over to the right edge of the road or as near to the right as possible and stop when you see or hear an emergency vehicle approaching from any direction. Follow any instructions given over the emergency vehicle’s loudspeaker. If you are in an intersection, drive through the intersection before you pull over. If the emergency vehicle using lights or siren is on the other side of a divided highway, you do not need to pull over and stop. You must not pass an emergency vehicle that is about to back into, or is backing into, the driveway entrance of a fire station. It is illegal to pass or follow within 500 feet of a moving emergency vehicle with its red or blue lights on and siren operating. This includes while driving on freeways or other limited access highways.

When approaching law enforcement and other emergency vehicles, tow trucks, road machinery or highway construction or maintenance vehicles (that are stopped on or near a highway and are using flashing emergency lights), you must move into a lane not nearest the stopped vehicle and travel in that lane until you have gone by the stopped vehicle(s). If it is unsafe to move into another lane, slow down until you have passed the stopped vehicle(s).

Answer:

* You can pay your traffic or municipal ordinance citation by mailing it to:

City of Tomah Municipal Court, 819 Superior Avenue, Tomah, WI  54660.

You may also stop in to the City Hall and pay for your traffic or municipal citation in person.

* Parking tickets can be paid for at the Tomah Police Department during normal business hours. (Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 8:30 pm)

You may obtain an accident report or other police reports by requesting in writing or in person during normal business hours, and completing a records request form.  The person requesting the report, will need to complete the open records request, which is available on the website under forms or at the Tomah Police Department.  There is a $5.00 prepayment fee that is required at the time the request is submitted.  Prepayment is required, unless the subject is the victim of the crime. Records are not sent out until payment is received.  Further, when a subject submits a Public Record Request, it may take up to 5 BUSINESS days to process the request.  Requested information is then mailed to the address supplied on the records request form.