27-51-905. Use of flashing emergency lights — Definition.

27-51-905. Use of flashing emergency lights — Definition. (a)(1) All of the following shall be equipped with red rotating or flashing emergency lights: (A) Motor vehicles used by state, county, city, or municipal fire departments; (B) Motor vehicles owned and used by volunteer firefighters while engaged in official duties; (C) Motor vehicles used by emergency medical services personnel licensed by the Department of Health or privately owned fire departments; and (D) Ambulances used solely for ambulance purposes that are approved as ambulances in accordance with state and federal highway safety standards. (2) Flashing emergency lights shall be used by volunteer firefighters solely while engaged in the performance of duties as volunteer firefighters and by emergency medical services personnel solely while engaged in the performance of duties with an ambulance service licensed by the department or an organized rescue squad or team. (b)(1) As used in this section, “hazardous service vehicle” means: (A) A motor vehicle owned by a state, county, or municipal agency, the use of which is determined by the agency to be required for dangerous or hazardous service; and (B) A motor vehicle owned by a public service corporation or by a private individual, the use of which is determined by the Office of Motor Vehicle, in accordance with rules established by the office to prevent abuses thereof, to be used for hazardous service. (2)(A) A hazardous service vehicle may be equipped with amber flashing or rotating emergency or warning lights that shall display its amber flashing or rotating emergency or warning lights during hazardous use in order that other motorists and the public are aware of the hazardous use of the vehicle and exercise caution when approaching the vehicle at all times while the amber flashing or rotating emergency or warning lights are in operation. (B) Equipage with or display of amber flashing or rotating emergency or warning lights does not qualify a motor vehicle as an emergency vehicle or a hazardous service vehicle. (3) All hazardous service vehicles shall conform to regular traffic signals and speed limits during their operation. (c)(1) A motor vehicle used as a wrecker or tow vehicle permitted or licensed under § 27-50-1203 may be equipped with amber flashing or rotating emergency or warning lights that shall be displayed only during hazardous use in order that other motorists and the public are aware of the special or hazardous use of the wrecker or tow vehicle and exercise caution in approaching the wrecker or tow vehicle at all times while the amber flashing or rotating emergency or warning lights are in operation. (2) Equipage with or display of amber flashing or rotating emergency or warning lights does not qualify a motor vehicle used as a wrecker or tow vehicle as an emergency vehicle. (3)(A) Red flashing or rotating emergency or warning lights on a motor vehicle used as a wrecker or tow vehicle shall be operated only while the wrecker or tow vehicle is stopped on or within ten feet (10') of a public way and engaged in recovery or loading and hooking up an abandoned, unattended, disabled, or wrecked vehicle. (B) A wrecker or tow vehicle shall not operate forward-facing red flashing or rotating emergency or warning lights while underway, except as may be expressly authorized or required by law otherwise. (d) It is unlawful to install, operate, or use any rotating or flashing light on any motor vehicle except as authorized in this section.