SEC. 63-7-19. Lights on police and emergency vehicles; lights on rural mail carrier vehicles.

(1)  Except as otherwise provided for unmarked vehicles under Section 19-25-15 and Section 25-1-87, every police vehicle shall be marked with blue lights.  Every ambulance and special use EMS vehicle as defined in Section 41-59-3 shall be marked with red lights front and back and also may be marked with white and amber lights in addition to red lights.  Every emergency management/civil defense vehicle, including emergency response vehicles of the Department of Environmental Quality, shall be marked with blinking, rotating or oscillating red lights.  Official vehicles of a 911 Emergency Communications District may be marked with red and white lights.  Every wrecker or other vehicle used for emergency work, except vehicles authorized to use blue or red lights, shall be marked with blinking, oscillating or rotating amber colored lights to warn other vehicles to yield the right-of-way, as provided in Section 63-3-809.  Only police vehicles used for emergency work may be marked with blinking, oscillating or rotating blue lights to warn other vehicles to yield the right-of-way.  Only law enforcement vehicles, fire vehicles, private or department-owned vehicles used by firemen of volunteer fire departments which receive funds pursuant to Section 83-1-39 when responding to calls, emergency management/civil defense vehicles, emergency response vehicles of the Department of Environmental Quality, ambulances used for emergency work, and 911 Emergency Communications District vehicles may be marked with blinking, oscillating or rotating red lights to warn other vehicles to yield the right-of-way.  This section shall not apply to school buses carrying lighting devices in accordance with Section 63-7-23.

(2)  Any vehicle referred to in subsection (1) of this section also shall be authorized to use alternating flashing headlights when responding to any emergency.

(3)  Any vehicle operated by a United States rural mail carrier for the purpose of delivering United States mail may be marked with two (2) amber colored lights on front top of the vehicle and two (2) red colored lights on rear top of the vehicle so as to warn approaching travelers to decrease their speed because of danger of colliding with the mail carrier as he stops and starts along the edge of the road, street or highway.

SOURCES: Codes, 1942, Sec. 8229-08; Laws, 1948, ch. 343, Sec. 16; 1950, ch. 407, Sec. 5; 1962, ch. 527; 1964, ch. 455, Sec. 1; 1970, ch. 484, Sec. 1; 1979, ch. 398, Sec. 1; 1987, ch. 333, Sec. 1; 1994, ch. 517, Sec. 1; 1995, ch. 581, Sec. 1, eff from and after July 1, 1995; Laws, 2004, ch. 425, § 5, HB 1626, eff from and after July 1, 2004.

PREVIOUS VERSIONS: Pre-2004

SEC. 63-7-20. Use of blue and red lights and alternating flashing headlights.

(1) It is unlawful for any person, other than a law enforcement officer on duty, to use or display blue lights on a motor vehicle as provided for in Section 63-7-19.

(2) It is unlawful for any person to use or display red lights on a motor vehicle except as provided for in Section 63-7-19.

(3) It is unlawful for any vehicle to use alternating flashing headlights except an emergency vehicle as provided in Section 63-7-19.

(4) A person violating this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than Fifty Dollars ($50.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00).

SOURCES: Codes, 1942, Sec. 8229-08.5; Laws, 1972, ch. 352, Sec. 1; 1979, ch. 398, Sec. 2; 1987, ch. 333, Sec. 2; 1994, ch. 517, Sec. 2; 1995, ch. 581, Sec. 2, eff from and after July 1, 1995

1997 Amendment

SECTION 1. Section 63-7-20, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

 63-7-20. (1) It is unlawful for any person, other than a law enforcement officer on duty, to use or display blue lights on a motor vehicle as provided for in Section 63-7-19.

 (2) It is unlawful for any person to use or display red lights on a motor vehicle except as provided for in Section 63-7-19. It is not unlawful for the red lights authorized for private or department-owned vehicles used by firemen of volunteer fire departments, as provided in Section 63-7-19, to remain mounted on such vehicles when the lights are not in use.

 (3) It is unlawful for any vehicle to use alternating flashing headlights except an emergency vehicle as provided in Section 63-7-19.

 (4) A person violating this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than Fifty Dollars ($50.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00).

SOURCE: 1997 Laws, Chapter 565, Sec. 1, HB1358, Effective AP-April 23, 1997.

SEC. 63-7-65. Horns and other warning devices.

(1) Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than two hundred (200) feet. The driver of a motor vehicle shall, when reasonably necessary to insure safe operation, give audible warning with his horn but shall not otherwise use such horn upon a highway. No horn or other warning device shall emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle.

(2) Any authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with a siren, whistle, or bell, capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than five hundred (500) feet and of a type approved by the department. No such siren shall be used except when such vehicle is operated in response to an emergency call or in the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law, in which said latter events the driver of such vehicle shall sound such siren when necessary to warn pedestrians and other drivers of the approach thereof.

(3) No vehicle shall be equipped with nor shall any person use upon a vehicle any siren, whistle, or bell, except as otherwise permitted in this section. No bicycle shall be equipped with nor shall any person use upon a bicycle any siren or whistle.

(4) Any vehicle may be equipped with a theft alarm signal device which is so arranged that it cannot be used by the driver as an ordinary warning signal.

SOURCES: Codes, 1942, Sec. 8250; Laws, 1938, ch. 200; 1994, ch. 324, Sec. 1, eff from and after July 1, 1994

SEC. 63-3-517. Applicability of speed restrictions to emergency vehicles; duties of drivers of emergency vehicles.

The speed limitations set forth in this article shall not apply to authorized emergency vehicles when responding to emergency calls and the drivers thereof sound audible signal by bell, siren, or exhaust whistle. This section shall not relieve the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons using the street, nor shall it protect the driver of any such vehicle from the consequence of a reckless disregard of the safety of others.

SOURCES: Codes, 1942, Sec. 8180; Laws, 1938, ch. 200; 1948, ch. 328, Sec. 4.

SEC. 63-3-809. Procedure upon approach of authorized emergency vehicles; duty of driver of emergency vehicle.

(1) Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle, when the driver is giving audible signal by siren, exhaust whistle, or bell, the driver of every other vehicle shall yield the right-of-way and shall immediately drive to a position parallel to, and as close as possible to, the right-hand edge or curb of the highway clear of any intersection and shall stop and remain in such position until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed, except when otherwise directed by a police officer.

(2) This section shall not operate to relieve the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons using the highway.

SOURCES: Codes, 1942, Sec. 8199; Laws, 1938, ch. 200.