Missouri Lighting laws.

localhero800

Member
May 22, 2010
1,333
Southeast Missouri
I have read here, and other places that Missouri's Lighting laws have changed. As i understand it it is:


FD POV- BLUE-CLEAR-Amber


Police- red, blue, amber, clear


Fire( apparatus) red-blue-amber-clear(when in motion)


Ems- Red, blue, amber, Clear( when in motion)


I have heard that FD POV is now allowed Red, and is Concidered an " Emergency Vehicle"


Is this true, and where would i find the Documentation to support it?
 

WhiteLite03

Member
Oct 7, 2010
398
Middle Tennessee
I don't know about MO specifically, however, generally in order for a POV to be considered an emergency vehicle, you must have lettering, 360 degree lighting, and a letter from the highest ranking law enforcement official in the county. Also usually have to have a letter from the insurance company showing that they are aware you are using said vehicle for emergency response, and are covered appropriately. You can try searching google or another search engine for Missouri Code... if they have it online, just find the part about vehicle laws. It should tell you what you need to know, including colors allowed.
 

WhiteLite03

Member
Oct 7, 2010
398
Middle Tennessee
from: http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/c300-399/3040000022.htm


Emergency vehicle defined--use of lights and sirens--right-of-way--stationary vehicles, procedure--penalty.


304.022.


1. Upon the immediate approach of an emergency vehicle giving audible signal by siren or while having at least one lighted lamp exhibiting red light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of five hundred feet to the front of such vehicle or a flashing blue light authorized by section 307.175, the driver of every other vehicle shall yield the right-of-way and shall immediately drive to a position parallel to, and as far as possible to the right of, the traveled portion of the highway and thereupon stop and remain in such position until such emergency vehicle has passed, except when otherwise directed by a police or traffic officer.


2. Upon approaching a stationary emergency vehicle displaying lighted red or red and blue lights, the driver of every motor vehicle shall:


(1) Proceed with caution and yield the right-of-way, if possible with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, by making a lane change into a lane not adjacent to that of the stationary vehicle, if on a roadway having at least four lanes with not less than two lanes proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle; or


(2) Proceed with due caution and reduce the speed of the vehicle, maintaining a safe speed for road conditions, if changing lanes would be unsafe or impossible.


3. The motorman of every streetcar shall immediately stop such car clear of any intersection and keep it in such position until the emergency vehicle has passed, except as otherwise directed by a police or traffic officer.


4. An "emergency vehicle" is a vehicle of any of the following types:


(1) A vehicle operated by the state highway patrol, the state water patrol, the Missouri capitol police, a conservation agent, or a state park ranger, those vehicles operated by enforcement personnel of the state highways and transportation commission, police or fire department, sheriff, constable or deputy sheriff, federal law enforcement officer authorized to carry firearms and to make arrests for violations of the laws of the United States, traffic officer or coroner or by a privately owned emergency vehicle company;


(2) A vehicle operated as an ambulance or operated commercially for the purpose of transporting emergency medical supplies or organs;


(3) Any vehicle qualifying as an emergency vehicle pursuant to section 307.175;


(4) Any wrecker, or tow truck or a vehicle owned and operated by a public utility or public service corporation while performing emergency service;


(5) Any vehicle transporting equipment designed to extricate human beings from the wreckage of a motor vehicle;


(6) Any vehicle designated to perform emergency functions for a civil defense or emergency management agency established pursuant to the provisions of chapter 44;


(7) Any vehicle operated by an authorized employee of the department of corrections who, as part of the employee's official duties, is responding to a riot, disturbance, hostage incident, escape or other critical situation where there is the threat of serious physical injury or death, responding to mutual aid call from another criminal justice agency, or in accompanying an ambulance which is transporting an offender to a medical facility;


(8) Any vehicle designated to perform hazardous substance emergency functions established pursuant to the provisions of sections 260.500 to 260.550.


5. (1) The driver of any vehicle referred to in subsection 4 of this section shall not sound the siren thereon or have the front red lights or blue lights on except when such vehicle is responding to an emergency call or when in pursuit of an actual or suspected law violator, or when responding to, but not upon returning from, a fire.


(2) The driver of an emergency vehicle may:


(a) Park or stand irrespective of the provisions of sections 304.014 to 304.025;


( B) Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation;


© Exceed the prima facie speed limit so long as the driver does not endanger life or property;


(d) Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions.


(3) The exemptions granted to an emergency vehicle pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection shall apply only when the driver of any such vehicle while in motion sounds audible signal by bell, siren, or exhaust whistle as may be reasonably necessary, and when the vehicle is equipped with at least one lighted lamp displaying a red light or blue light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of five hundred feet to the front of such vehicle.


6. No person shall purchase an emergency light as described in this section without furnishing the seller of such light an affidavit stating that the light will be used exclusively for emergency vehicle purposes.


7. Violation of this section shall be deemed a class A misdemeanor.


(L. 1953 p. 587 § 304.020, A.L. 1969 p. 418, A.L. 1971 H.B. 113, A.L. 1981 H.B. 183, A.L. 1986 S.B. 523 merged with H.B. 1428, A.L. 1991 S.B. 265, A.L. 1995 H.B. 424, A.L. 1996 H.B. 1047 merged with H.B. 1369, A.L. 1997 H.B. 244, A.L. 2002 H.B. 1270 and H.B. 2032, A.L. 2004 S.B. 757 merged with S.B. 788, A.L. 2005 H.B. 353 merged with H.B. 487 merged with H.B. 618, A.L. 2006 S.B. 872, et al., A.L. 2007 S.B. 82 merged with S.B. 352)


(2006) Section does not abolish, abrogate, provide, or in any way modify common law doctrine of official immunity. Davis v. Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, 193 S.W.3d 760 (Mo.banc).
 

WhiteLite03

Member
Oct 7, 2010
398
Middle Tennessee
Sorry about all the long posts... I think this is actually the one you were looking for.


Link: http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/c300-399/3070000175.htm


Sirens and flashing lights emergency use, persons authorized--violation, penalty.


307.175. Motor vehicles and equipment which are operated by any member of an organized fire department, ambulance association, or rescue squad, whether paid or volunteer, may be operated on streets and highways in this state as an emergency vehicle under the provisions of section 304.022 while responding to a fire call or ambulance call or at the scene of a fire call or ambulance call and while using or sounding a warning siren and using or displaying thereon fixed, flashing or rotating blue lights, but sirens and blue lights shall be used only in bona fide emergencies. Permits for the operation of such vehicles equipped with sirens or blue lights shall be in writing and shall be issued and may be revoked by the chief of an organized fire department, organized ambulance association, or rescue squad and no person shall use or display a siren or blue lights on a motor vehicle, fire, ambulance, or rescue equipment without a valid permit authorizing the use. A** permit to use a siren or lights as heretofore set out does not relieve the operator of the vehicle so equipped with complying with all other traffic laws and regulations. Violation of this section constitutes a class A misdemeanor.
 

WhiteLite03

Member
Oct 7, 2010
398
Middle Tennessee
Link http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/c300-399/3000000100.htm


Authorized emergency vehicles--permitted acts of drivers.


300.100. 1. The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency call or when in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law or when responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm, may exercise the privileges set forth in this section, but subject to the conditions herein stated.


2. The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle may:


(1) Park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of this ordinance;


(2) Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation;


(3) Exceed the maximum speed limits so long as he does not endanger life or property;


(4) Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions.


3. The exemptions herein granted to an authorized emergency vehicle shall apply only when the driver of any said vehicle while in motion sounds audible signal by siren or while having at least one lighted lamp exhibiting a red light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of five hundred feet to the front of such vehicle or a flashing blue light authorized by section 307.175.


4. The foregoing provisions shall not relieve the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons, nor shall such provisions protect the driver from the consequences of his reckless disregard for the safety of others.
 

ParkPiggy

Member
May 21, 2010
667
Northeast Ohio
Honestly, I didn't read through the whole list of laws-but, I only see allowance for fire/ems to run blue. How would an SOP over rule state law, to allow red and blue for fire?
 

dustymedic

Member
May 21, 2010
633
Columbus,OH
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Cam

Member
May 20, 2010
247
MO
ParkPiggy said:
Honestly, I didn't read through the whole list of laws-but, I only see allowance for fire/ems to run blue. How would an SOP over rule state law, to allow red and blue for fire?

You read it wrong I guess. Fire and EMS (and all other EV under 304.022) are allowed red and a siren. Another law (307.175) passed later allows blue and a siren for Fire/ EMS/ Rescue POVs. Another change in ( 304.022) later placed vehicle that are allowed under 307.175 under that law as well and while it may not have been the intent, it allows POV to use red as well.


The way the law has changed over the years, they is nothing that would not allow a Vol. POV to use red but many departments don't allow it.


As far as I can tell they is nothing that allows non-POVs (fire, ems, police, tow etc.) to use blue but they all do. It is all somewhat pointless because it all means the same thing in Missouri, red, blue or a mix of them mean an authorized emergency vehicle with all rights and responsibility.
 

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