theroofable
Member
Am I missing something here, or am I right? After much confusion with the law, and people saying that the lights are useless, I have done some researching, and here is what I have found. I did not put this in another section because I do not think it applies, since it is questioning a specific law.
With that being said, here is what the law says about emergency lights for personal vehicles in NJ. Basically, you must obey all traffic laws, but you are treated the same way as an emergency vehicle. But that contradicts itself. For any vehicle to yield in the same way as R.S.39:4-92, you must clear all intersections and stop until that vehicle has cleared that intersection. With that being said, there is no reason why you cannot go through a red light after stopping. However, the law says you are not granted any privileges and cannot go through a red light. So technically, you are supposed to stop at a red light, and not go through, and all the vehicles with the green light, must stop and wait as well. This seems like a gray area of the law to me... What do you all think about this? Oh and the same applies for Chiefs who have red lights and sirens in their vehicles. They are not allowed to break any traffic laws, however they are emergency vehicles as defined by the law. The exact copies are provided below.
39:3-54.12. Rights of motor vehicle with emergency lights in operation.
“6. Nothing contained herein is intended to grant to any member of a volunteer fire company, a volunteer first aid or rescue squad or a volunteer Office of Emergency Management any privileges or exemptions denied to the drivers of other vehicles, and such members operating emergency warning lights shall drive with due regard for the safety of all persons and shall obey all the traffic laws of this State including R.S.39:4-81, provided, however, that the drivers of non-emergency vehicles upon any highway shall yield the right of way to the vehicle of any member of a volunteer fire company, a volunteer first aid or rescue squad or a volunteer Office of Emergency Management operating emergency warning lights in the same manner as is provided for authorized emergency vehicles pursuant to R.S.39:4-92.”
9:4-92. Authorized emergency vehicles; clearance for; following or parking near
“Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle giving audible signal, and equipped, as required by section 39:4-91 of this Title, and unless otherwise directed by a police or traffic officer,
(a) The driver of every vehicle shall immediately drive to a position as near as possible and parallel to the right-hand edge or curb of the highway, clear of an intersection of highways, and shall stop and remain in that position until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed and
( B) The driver or person in control of a street car shall immediately stop the car clear of an intersection of highways and keep it stationary until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed.
39:3-54.19. Subject to traffic laws; right-of-way or sirens; yielding right of way
This act shall not grant to any chief or first assistant chief of a volunteer fire company any privileges or exemptions denied to the drivers of other vehicles, and persons displaying red emergency warning lights, sirens, or both, shall drive with due regard for the safety of all persons and shall obey the traffic laws of this State; but drivers of nonemergency vehicles upon any highway shall yield the right of way to the vehicle of any chief or first assistant chief of a volunteer fire company displaying red emergency warning lights, sirens, or both, in the same manner as is provided for authorized emergency vehicles pursuant to R.S. 39:4-92.
L. 1985, c. 171, s. 5, eff. May 31, 1985.
With that being said, here is what the law says about emergency lights for personal vehicles in NJ. Basically, you must obey all traffic laws, but you are treated the same way as an emergency vehicle. But that contradicts itself. For any vehicle to yield in the same way as R.S.39:4-92, you must clear all intersections and stop until that vehicle has cleared that intersection. With that being said, there is no reason why you cannot go through a red light after stopping. However, the law says you are not granted any privileges and cannot go through a red light. So technically, you are supposed to stop at a red light, and not go through, and all the vehicles with the green light, must stop and wait as well. This seems like a gray area of the law to me... What do you all think about this? Oh and the same applies for Chiefs who have red lights and sirens in their vehicles. They are not allowed to break any traffic laws, however they are emergency vehicles as defined by the law. The exact copies are provided below.
39:3-54.12. Rights of motor vehicle with emergency lights in operation.
“6. Nothing contained herein is intended to grant to any member of a volunteer fire company, a volunteer first aid or rescue squad or a volunteer Office of Emergency Management any privileges or exemptions denied to the drivers of other vehicles, and such members operating emergency warning lights shall drive with due regard for the safety of all persons and shall obey all the traffic laws of this State including R.S.39:4-81, provided, however, that the drivers of non-emergency vehicles upon any highway shall yield the right of way to the vehicle of any member of a volunteer fire company, a volunteer first aid or rescue squad or a volunteer Office of Emergency Management operating emergency warning lights in the same manner as is provided for authorized emergency vehicles pursuant to R.S.39:4-92.”
9:4-92. Authorized emergency vehicles; clearance for; following or parking near
“Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle giving audible signal, and equipped, as required by section 39:4-91 of this Title, and unless otherwise directed by a police or traffic officer,
(a) The driver of every vehicle shall immediately drive to a position as near as possible and parallel to the right-hand edge or curb of the highway, clear of an intersection of highways, and shall stop and remain in that position until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed and
( B) The driver or person in control of a street car shall immediately stop the car clear of an intersection of highways and keep it stationary until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed.
39:3-54.19. Subject to traffic laws; right-of-way or sirens; yielding right of way
This act shall not grant to any chief or first assistant chief of a volunteer fire company any privileges or exemptions denied to the drivers of other vehicles, and persons displaying red emergency warning lights, sirens, or both, shall drive with due regard for the safety of all persons and shall obey the traffic laws of this State; but drivers of nonemergency vehicles upon any highway shall yield the right of way to the vehicle of any chief or first assistant chief of a volunteer fire company displaying red emergency warning lights, sirens, or both, in the same manner as is provided for authorized emergency vehicles pursuant to R.S. 39:4-92.
L. 1985, c. 171, s. 5, eff. May 31, 1985.
