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Local Emergency Light Laws
I was just wondering what the laws of your state say for POV's to have emergency lights and sirens. I live in Maine where we have very strict laws in reference to POV's and emergnecy lights, you can have two red or white lights in the grill OR 1 in the window if it is not obstructing your view. You have no special laws for responding and people do NOT have to pull over for you if they dont want. Also your not aloud sirens. I've been giving thought to moving to another state and I am hoping to see about your local rules and regulations.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bobby King on
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Id also like to add that You have to drive with due regard and the KRS Also states the other drivers are " SUPPOSED" to yeild the right of way.. that being said When You have Your Emergency Lights on apparently Red is the International Signal for Folks to cut to the left quickly and in front of Fire and or rescue Apparatus
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Permalink Reply by jonathon on
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LAWS OF NEW YORK, 2006
CHAPTER 45
ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to authorizing certain lights to be affixed to police vehicles
Became a law June 7, 2006, with the approval of the Governor. Passed by a majority vote, three-fifths being present.
The People of the State of New York. represented in Senate and Assembly. do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph 4 of subdivision 41 of section 375 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 12 of the laws of 2002, is amended to read as follows:
4. Blue light. a. One blue light may be affixed to any motor vehicle owned by a volunteer member of a fire department or on a motor vehicle owned by a member of such person's family residing in the same household or by a business enterprise in which such person has a proprietary interest or by which he or she is employed, provided such volunteer firefighter has been authorized in writing to so affix a blue light by the chief of the fire department or company of which he or she is a member, which authorization shall be subject to revocation at any time by the chief who issued the same or his or her successor in office. Such blue light may be displayed exclusively by such volunteer firefighter on such a vehicle only when engaged in an emergency operation. The use of blue and red light combinations shall be prohibited on all fire vehicles. The use of blue lights on fire vehicles shall be prohibited and the use of blue lights on vehicles shall be restricted for use only by a volunteer firefighter except as otherwise provided for in subparagraph b of this paragraph.
b. In addition to the red and white lights authorized to be displayed pursuant to paragraph two of this subdivision, one or more blue lights or combination blue and red lights or combination blue, red and white lights may be affixed to a police vehicle, provided that such blue light or lights shall be displayed on a police vehicle for rear projection only. In the event that the trunk or rear gate of a police vehicle obstructs or diminishes the visibility of other emergency lighting on such vehicle, a blue light may be affixed to and displayed from the trunk, rear gate or interior of such vehicle. Such lights may be displayed on a police vehicle when such vehicle is engaged in an emergency operation. Nothing contained in this sub paragraph shall be deemed to authorize the use of blue lights on police vehicles unless such vehicles also display one or more red or combination red and white lights otherwise authorized in this subdivision.
c. The commissioner is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations relating to the use, placement, power and display of blue lights on a police vehicle.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION – Matter in italics is new; matter in brackets [-] is old law to be omitted
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Permalink Reply by Barbara Nelson on
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Yes, thats right, no nothing! Yet we still get to the fire and put it out just fine.
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Permalink Reply by Jacob on
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Well, I live in West Virginia and we're alowd to have lights and sirens on POV's.
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Permalink Reply by firechief911 on
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we just did a driver opp class and was told chief and asst were the only ones allowed to run lights by law but a lot of people in my county run lights not sure what there liability is
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Permalink Reply by Art Sutherland on
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I find it intresting that with the research I have been doing about the use of Lights on Pov's that 99% of the time when a person thinks the Light should not be used that person is a paid Firefighter. Don't take this the wrong way but I have had a lot of e-mails about the lights and it is a fact about the 99%. Yes we respond to the Department first, once the trucks have rolled we have to respaond to the scene. Not all Volunteers are Level 1 or 2 firefighters which means sometimes the ones caught in traffic are the ones needed on scene.
I Volunteer because I want to, some get paid as a firefighter because they want to. It doesn't matter which one you are we are the still the same.
This is a safety issue, it will and has been proven that response time is helped when Volunteers use Lights on their Pov's. Miss use they say, well from the e-mails I have received it seems that there are very few who miss use the Lights. It also seems that anyone who does miss use the light are dealt with and sometimes dissmissed from the Department, I would say that the Chiefs seem to have a handle on the Departments.
When I lived in Ontario near a lake and was laying on the floor with the ambulance 20 minutes away I am sure glad the firefighters had the Green Lights on their Pov's.
It is really hard to think Lights wouldn't help in response times when a Station is Paid and the firefighters are there 24/7. As a paid firefighter that signed my Petition for the use of the Lights said, I live outside of town which is covered by Volunteers. I don't think I have to tell you the rest of what he said.......
Art Sutherland
Green Lights for
Nova Scotia
Anyone that has a Chief that is willing to answer 12 questions for me about the use of Lights on Pov's Please e-mail me at miraroadvolfire@hotmail.com Let your Chief know he could help our Volunteers Firefighters the use of Pov's Lights.
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We can drive fast and use a siren and red light here ,but we like you have to have a Red Light Card
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Permalink Reply by J.C. Cook on
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I am from Georgia and have worked on both sides. I volunteered for 7 years and am now a full time paid staff for another deaprtment that is combination. Georgia requires all persons running emergency lights to obtain a permit each year from the GA Dept of Motor Vehicle Safety. The permit must be displayed on the drivers side lower corner of the windshield. The state law permits you,per state code, to exceed the maximum posted speed limit (no state limit on maximum exceedance), disreguard directional devices, and stop in marked moving lanes of traffic AS LONG AS DUE REGAURD TO OTHERS IS USED. The state also requires 360 degree lighting and a siren to be used at all times. The local department required persons to be at least an engineer capable of driving an engine or an EMT or above medical. Engineer's were allowed to run lights to fire related, EMT's medical, crosstrained both..... My current combination department has the policy of not lights period on POV unless you are stationary on a scene at which your vehicle is impeeding the flow of traffic on a roadway. This is partially due to problems with paid on call persons not using due reguard. My insurance company told me when I was running lights that as long as my vehicle was used as a POV and not a firefighting apparatus I would be covered.
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Permalink Reply by Clayton Aldridge on
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Where can I go to find out my State's (AL) light laws?
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Permalink Reply by Rob on
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Not to many people no this but in NY state you can use a electric air horn but NOT a siren
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do you think you could get me the name of that site?
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Permalink Reply by keith on
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ohio your car/trcuk has to be insepection and then they give you a registration sticker to be able to run lights and sirens. some town still dont allow you to run them tho i know where i live i cant run them but where my father lives he can. and does with no worries, he has a full streethawk lightbar on the top of his cab wig wags and two 200 watt speakers under the hood all red in Oh also
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