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Illinois Blue Light Laws
Hello I'm just about to make the transformation from being a cadet to a volunteer on my department and I haven't been able to get a clear answer on what the laws are in illinois regarding blue lights on POV's. Now I'm not sure if it's just the case of them not knowing or what else, but I thought maybe some of the illinois firefighters on here may be able to help. Any advice would be very welcome.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by joe on
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i am not form your state but you can always ask a cop or go to the web and research the state laws on thier web site . that is the best thing to do becouse the laws are open to eveyones differnt interation of then . good luck
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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(625 ILCS 5/12‑215) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12‑215)
Sec. 12‑215. Oscillating, rotating or flashing lights on motor vehicles. Except as otherwise provided in this Code:
(a) The use of red or white oscillating, rotating or flashing lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except on:
1. Law enforcement vehicles of State, Federal or
local authorities;
2. A vehicle operated by a police officer or county
coroner and designated or authorized by local authorities, in writing, as a law enforcement vehicle; however, such designation or authorization must be carried in the vehicle;
2.1. A vehicle operated by a fire chief who has
completed an emergency vehicle operation training course approved by the Office of the State Fire Marshal and designated or authorized by local authorities, in writing, as a fire department, fire protection district, or township fire department vehicle; however, the designation or authorization must be carried in the vehicle, and the lights may be visible or activated only when responding to a bona fide emergency;
3. Vehicles of local fire departments and State or
federal firefighting vehicles;
4. Vehicles which are designed and used exclusively
as ambulances or rescue vehicles; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except when responding to an emergency call for and while actually conveying the sick or injured;
5. Tow trucks licensed in a state that requires such
lights; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted on any such tow truck while the tow truck is operating in the State of Illinois;
6. Vehicles of the Illinois Emergency Management
Agency, vehicles of the Illinois Department of Public Health, and vehicles of the Department of Nuclear Safety;
7. Vehicles operated by a local or county emergency
management services agency as defined in the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act;
8. School buses operating alternately flashing head
lamps as permitted under Section 12‑805 of this Code; and
9. Vehicles that are equipped and used exclusively as
organ transplant vehicles when used in combination with blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights; furthermore, these lights shall be lighted only when the transportation is declared an emergency by a member of the transplant team or a representative of the organ procurement organization.
(b) The use of amber oscillating, rotating or flashing lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except on:
1. Second division vehicles designed and used for
towing or hoisting vehicles; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except as required in this paragraph 1; such lights shall be lighted when such vehicles are actually being used at the scene of an accident or disablement; if the towing vehicle is equipped with a flat bed that supports all wheels of the vehicle being transported, the lights shall not be lighted while the vehicle is engaged in towing on a highway; if the towing vehicle is not equipped with a flat bed that supports all wheels of a vehicle being transported, the lights shall be lighted while the towing vehicle is engaged in towing on a highway during all times when the use of headlights is required under Section 12‑201 of this Code;
2. Motor vehicles or equipment of the State of
Illinois, local authorities and contractors; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except while such vehicles are engaged in maintenance or construction operations within the limits of construction projects;
3. Vehicles or equipment used by engineering or
survey crews; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except while such vehicles are actually engaged in work on a highway;
4. Vehicles of public utilities, municipalities, or
other construction, maintenance or automotive service vehicles except that such lights shall be lighted only as a means for indicating the presence of a vehicular traffic hazard requiring unusual care in approaching, overtaking or passing while such vehicles are engaged in maintenance, service or construction on a highway;
5. Oversized vehicle or load; however, such lights
shall only be lighted when moving under permit issued by the Department under Section 15‑301 of this Code;
6. The front and rear of motorized equipment owned
and operated by the State of Illinois or any political subdivision thereof, which is designed and used for removal of snow and ice from highways;
(6.1) The front and rear of motorized equipment or
vehicles that (i) are not owned by the State of Illinois or any political subdivision of the State, (ii) are designed and used for removal of snow and ice from highways and parking lots, and (iii) are equipped with a snow plow that is 12 feet in width; these lights may not be lighted except when the motorized equipment or vehicle is actually being used for those purposes on behalf of a unit of government;
7. Fleet safety vehicles registered in another
state, furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except as provided for in Section 12‑212 of this Code;
8. Such other vehicles as may be authorized by local
authorities;
9. Law enforcement vehicles of State or local
authorities when used in combination with red oscillating, rotating or flashing lights;
9.5. Propane delivery trucks;
10. Vehicles used for collecting or delivering mail
for the United States Postal Service provided that such lights shall not be lighted except when such vehicles are actually being used for such purposes;
11. Any vehicle displaying a slow‑moving vehicle
emblem as provided in Section 12‑205.1;
12. All trucks equipped with self‑compactors or
roll‑off hoists and roll‑on containers for garbage or refuse hauling. Such lights shall not be lighted except when such vehicles are actually being used for such purposes;
13. Vehicles used by a security company, alarm
responder, or control agency;
14. Security vehicles of the Department of Human
Services; however, the lights shall not be lighted except when being used for security related purposes under the direction of the superintendent of the facility where the vehicle is located; and
15. Vehicles of union representatives, except that
the lights shall be lighted only while the vehicle is within the limits of a construction project.
(c) The use of blue oscillating, rotating or flashing lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except on:
1. Rescue squad vehicles not owned by a fire
department and vehicles owned or operated by a:
voluntary firefighter;
paid firefighter;
part‑paid firefighter;
call firefighter;
member of the board of trustees of a fire
protection district;
paid or unpaid member of a rescue squad;
paid or unpaid member of a voluntary ambulance
unit; or
paid or unpaid members of a local or county
emergency management services agency as defined in the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, designated or authorized by local authorities, in writing, and carrying that designation or authorization in the vehicle.
However, such lights are not to be lighted except
when responding to a bona fide emergency.
Any person using these lights in accordance with this
subdivision (c)1 must carry on his or her person an identification card or letter identifying the bona fide member of a fire department, fire protection district, rescue squad, ambulance unit, or emergency management services agency that owns or operates that vehicle. The card or letter must include:
(A) the name of the fire department, fire
protection district, rescue squad, ambulance unit, or emergency management services agency;
(B) the member's position within the fire
department, fire protection district, rescue squad, ambulance unit, or emergency management services agency;
(C) the member's term of service; and
(D) the name of a person within the fire
department, fire protection district, rescue squad, ambulance unit, or emergency management services agency to contact to verify the information provided.
2. Police department vehicles in cities having a
population of 500,000 or more inhabitants.
3. Law enforcement vehicles of State or local
authorities when used in combination with red oscillating, rotating or flashing lights.
4. Vehicles of local fire departments and State or
federal firefighting vehicles when used in combination with red oscillating, rotating or flashing lights.
5. Vehicles which are designed and used exclusively
as ambulances or rescue vehicles when used in combination with red oscillating, rotating or flashing lights; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except when responding to an emergency call.
6. Vehicles that are equipped and used exclusively
as organ transport vehicles when used in combination with red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights; furthermore, these lights shall only be lighted when the transportation is declared an emergency by a member of the transplant team or a representative of the organ procurement organization.
7. Vehicles of the Illinois Emergency Management
Agency, vehicles of the Illinois Department of Public Health, and vehicles of the Department of Nuclear Safety, when used in combination with red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
8. Vehicles operated by a local or county emergency
management services agency as defined in the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, when used in combination with red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
(c‑1) In addition to the blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights permitted under subsection (c), and notwithstanding subsection (a), a vehicle operated by a voluntary firefighter, a voluntary member of a rescue squad, or a member of a voluntary ambulance unit may be equipped with flashing white headlights and blue grill lights, which may be used only in responding to an emergency call.
(c‑2) In addition to the blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights permitted under subsection (c), and notwithstanding subsection (a), a vehicle operated by a paid or unpaid member of a local or county emergency management services agency as defined in the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, may be equipped with white oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights to be used in combination with blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights, if authorization by local authorities is in writing and carried in the vehicle.
(d) The use of a combination of amber and white oscillating, rotating or flashing lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except motor vehicles or equipment of the State of Illinois, local authorities, contractors, and union representatives may be so equipped; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted on vehicles of the State of Illinois, local authorities, and contractors except while such vehicles are engaged in highway maintenance or construction operations within the limits of highway construction projects, and shall not be lighted on the vehicles of union representatives except when those vehicles are within the limits of a construction project.
(e) All oscillating, rotating or flashing lights referred to in this Section shall be of sufficient intensity, when illuminated, to be visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight.
(f) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit a manufacturer of oscillating, rotating or flashing lights or his representative from temporarily mounting such lights on a vehicle for demonstration purposes only.
(g) Any person violating the provisions of subsections (a), (b), (c) or (d) of this Section who without lawful authority stops or detains or attempts to stop or detain another person shall be guilty of a Class 2 felony.
(h) Except as provided in subsection (g) above, any person violating the provisions of subsections (a) or (c) of this Section shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
(Source: P.A. 93‑181, eff. 1‑1‑04; 93‑725, eff. 1‑1‑05; 93‑794, eff. 7‑22‑04; 93‑829, eff. 7‑28‑04; 94‑143, eff. 1‑1‑06; 94‑270, eff. 1‑1‑06; 94‑331, eff. 1‑1‑06; 94‑730, eff. 4‑17‑06.)
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Permalink Reply by Band of Brothers pipes and drums on
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Chicago's police run blue lights (pop. over 500,00). They dont dig vollys with blue lights, period and they wont hesitate to tell you to remove it. If ya come up north take it off your car or have someone else drive, otherwise you may get hassled
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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on
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Kirkland? I was just out there today for my other job. I met your Chief's wife. Anyway, after reading the Illinois Vehicle Code above (I was going to post it but Art beat me to it!) if you should still have any questions, talk to your company officers or even stop by the P.D. and ask them. As far as Chicago, it's true they don't like to see FF's with blue lights in their POV's, but if they tell you to remove it, just tell 'em to pound sand. As long as you don't turn your blue lights on in the City of Chicago, they're NOT illegal! But I should also mention that I take mine down from the dash when I venture into Chicago simply because I don't need the local gangbangers thinking I'm a cop! Stay safe!
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If all else fails, ask your Training Officer, (is it still Rich Wilson?). By the way, call him Erkle, he likes it!
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I've been through Kirkland a time or two on my way to Hinckley to see my good buddy Jay.
Nice fire station.
TCSS.
Art
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Permalink Reply by Mary Ellen Shea on
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smarty pants...
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I thought everyone had a Text of Laws on CD!
Or maybe it's just me.
TCSS.
Art
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Permalink Reply by Evan Quinn on
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Yeah our training officer is still Rich so I'll have to bring that up here on wednesday when we have drill.
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Thankyou very much
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Permalink Reply by Scott Carlson on
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If your department allows a blue light in your personal vehicle you must have in that vehicle a letter from your chief. There are several things that need to be included in that letter. If you check out the Illinois vehicle code it lists all requirements.
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We never had letters from the Fire Chief in our cars. As far as I know, the State of Illinois doesn't require that. If it does, than we were all breaking the law for decades! Stay safe!
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