An apparatus and method for an emergency vehicle alert system transmits signals from one or more emergency vehicles to nearby commuter vehicles. When an initiation switch in the emergency vehicle is activated, a transmitter broadcasts a unique identifier for the vehicle. Information regarding other characteristics such as position, speed, route, and direction of travel can also be transmitted to provide alert information to commuter vehicles in the vicinity of the emergency vehicles. The information is presented to occupants of the commuter vehicle and can include audio and visual displays such as lights, voice warnings, moving map display with symbols representing the vehicles' position relative to one another, and a textual display providing identification and distance information.