Wig-Wag's in TN

towman88

Member
May 21, 2010
242
Sweetwater, TN
Ok there has been some talk about wig-wag in my county (Roane County TN) in dept's that can run lights on pov's that the poilce (mostly state) have been giving warnings and tickets for having wig-wags on there pov's. Now i don't know the facts on this but some members of my dept and the other dept have said you need to take your wig-wags of before you get a ticket.... But im going to keep them. Talked to the cheif. Is there any law saying i cant have them?
 

Flashguy

Member
Jan 4, 2011
842
United States, Florida
Hey Lt,


Here is the information for the TN state laws regarding vehicles and lighting. It basically saws it's not allowed on any nonemergency vehicle. So, unless your chief recognizes and certifies POV's as emergency vehicles, it's against the law. I personally think wig-wag is a great emergency product and gets driver's attention. Good luck with your decision. I would hope a cop wouldn't write a fire officer a ticket for something like that!


Dan


55-9-402. Lights required on motor vehicles — Exceptions — Regulations as to color, type and visibility distance. —


(a) (1) Every motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, road roller, road machinery or farm tractor shall be equipped with at least two (2) and not more than four (4) headlights, with at least one (1) on each side of the front of the motor vehicle. No nonemergency vehicle shall operate or install emergency flashing light systems, such as strobe, wig-wag, or other flashing lights within the headlight assembly or grill area of the vehicle; provided, however, that a school bus may operate a flashing, wig-wag lighting system within the headlight assembly of the vehicle when the vehicle's visual stop signs are actuated for receiving or discharging school children.


(2) Auxiliary road lighting lamps may be used, but not more than two (2) of the lamps shall be lighted at any one (1) time in addition to the two (2) required headlights.


(3) No spotlight or auxiliary lamp shall be so aimed upon approaching another vehicle that any part of the high intensity portion of the beam therefrom is directed beyond the left side of the motor vehicle upon which the spotlight or auxiliary lamp is mounted, nor more than one hundred feet (100¢) ahead of the motor vehicle.


( B) (1) Every motor vehicle shall be equipped with two (2) red tail lamps and two (2) red stoplights on the rear of the vehicle, and one (1) tail lamp and one (1) stoplight shall be on each side, except that passenger cars manufactured or assembled prior to January 1, 1939, trucks manufactured or assembled prior to January 1, 1968, and motorcycles and motor-driven cycles shall have at least one (1) red tail lamp and one (1) red stoplight. No non-emergency vehicle shall operate or install emergency flashing light systems such as strobe, wig-wag, or other flashing lights in tail light lamp, stoplight area, or factory installed emergency flasher and backup light area; provided, however, that the foregoing prohibition shall not apply to the utilization of a continuously flashing light system. For the purposes of this part, “continuously flashing light system” means a brake light system in which the brake lamp pulses rapidly for no more than five (5) seconds when the brake is applied, and then converts to a continuous light as a normal brake lamp until the time that the brake is released.


(2) The stoplight shall be so arranged as to be actuated by the application of the service or foot brake and shall be capable of being seen and distinguished from a distance of one hundred feet (100¢) to the rear of a motor vehicle in normal daylight, but shall not project a glaring or dazzling light.


(3) The stoplight may be incorporated with the tail lamp.


(4) Motor vehicle tail light lamps may operate as following:


(A) A white backup light operates when the motor vehicle is in reverse;


( B) When the driver is in a panic stop condition going forward, the backup lamp pulses or flashes red; and


© Upon normal stops of the motor vehicle, there is no action by the backup light.


© Each lamp and stoplight required in this section shall be in good condition and operational.


(d) (1) No vehicle operated in this state shall be equipped with any flashing red or white light or any combination of red or white lights that displays to the front of the vehicle except school buses, a passenger motor vehicle operated by a rural mail carrier of the United States postal service while performing the duties of a rural mail carrier, authorized law enforcement vehicles only when used in combination with a flashing blue light, and emergency vehicles used in firefighting, including ambulances, emergency vehicles used in firefighting that are owned or operated by the division of forestry, firefighting vehicles, rescue vehicles, privately owned vehicles of regular or volunteer firefighters certified in § 55-9-201©, or other emergency vehicles used in firefighting owned, operated, or subsidized by the governing body of any county or municipality.


(2) Any emergency rescue vehicle owned, titled and operated by a state chartered rescue squad, a member of the Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads, privately owned vehicles of regular or volunteer firefighters certified in § 55-9-201©, and marked with lettering at least three inches (3²) in size and displayed on the left and right sides of the vehicle designating it an “Emergency Rescue Vehicle,” any authorized civil defense emergency vehicle displaying the appropriate civil defense agency markings of at least three inches (3²), and any ambulance or vehicle equipped to provide emergency medical services properly licensed as required in the state and displaying the proper markings, shall also be authorized to be lighted in one (1) or more of the following manners:


(A) A red or red/white visibar type with public address system;


( B) A red or red/white oscillating type light; and


© Blinking red or red/white lights, front and rear.


(3) Any vehicle, other than a school bus, a passenger motor vehicle operated by a rural mail carrier of the United States postal service while performing the duties of a rural mail carrier or an emergency vehicle authorized by this section to display flashing red or red/white lights, or authorized law enforcement vehicles using red, white, and blue lights in combination, that displays any such lights shall be considered in violation of this subsection (d).


(e) (1) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, nothing in this section shall prohibit a highway maintenance or utility vehicle, or any other type vehicle or equipment participating, in any fashion, with highway or utility construction, maintenance, or inspection, from operating a white, amber, or white and amber light system on any location on the vehicle or equipment while the vehicle or equipment is parked upon, entering or leaving any highway or utility construction, maintenance, repair or inspection site


(2) As used in this subsection (e), “utility” means any person, municipality, county, metropolitan government, cooperative, board, commission, district, or any entity created or authorized by public act, private act, or general law to provide electricity, natural gas, water, waste water services, telephone service, or any combination thereof, for sale to consumers in any particular service area.


(3) As used in subdivision (e)(2), “cooperative” means any cooperative providing utility services including, but not limited to, electric or telephone services, or both.


(4) Nothing in this subsection (e) imposes any duty or obligation to install or utilize the lighting systems allowed in this section.


(f) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, nothing in this section shall prohibit a motor vehicle used for the driver education and training course for Class D vehicles as provided by § 55-50-322(f) from operating an amber light-emitting diode (LED) light system on the front and rear of such vehicle other than in the taillight lamp, stoplight area, or factory-installed emergency flasher and backup light area. The amber light-emitting diode light system shall not be placed in the driver's line of sight. Nothing in this subsection (f) imposes any duty or obligation to install or utilize the lighting system allowed in this subsection (f).


(g) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.


[Acts 1931, ch. 82, § 15; 1937, ch. 245, § 5; 1941, ch. 121, § 1; C. Supp. 1950, § 2700.16 (Williams, § 2695); Acts 1957, ch. 51, § 1; 1969, ch. 40, § 1; 1970, ch. 598, § 1; 1975, ch. 342, § 1; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 59-905; Acts 1981, ch. 111, §§ 1, 2; 1982, ch. 850, § 3; 1989, ch. 173, §§ 2, 3; 1989, ch. 591, § 113; 1991, ch. 221, § 1; 1997, ch. 299, §§ 1-5; 2003, ch. 67, § 1; 2004, ch. 474, § 1; 2005, ch. 154, §§ 1-4; 2006, ch. 584, §§ 1, 2; 2008, ch. 967, § 2; 2010, ch. 938, § 1.]
 

TNFF412N

Member
May 22, 2010
387
San Antonio, Texas
The first thing i would do is find the troppers that are getting them and find out what they are writing for. Im in TN and can tell you i have seen headlight flashers on many many POVs Our chief certifies ours so we are good We also have 2 state troppers on our dept......
 

Fast LT1

Member
May 24, 2010
2,018
Sedgwick County, KS
During my time living in Tennessee (Davidson County and Wilson County) HLF were allowed.
 

cook2890

Member
Sep 27, 2010
456
Murfreesboro TN
The interpritation of the law by the Highway patrol is that unless it is a certified fire or police vehicle, you cannont run them. As a matter of fact, it got so bad when the law changed and I was working at a sheriffs office that the way it was taken at that time was that no one other than a police car or fire truck could have flashing lights, or hide-a-ways, or HLF installed. Several tow companies were kicked off many a law enforcement tow rotation unitl they REMOVED the lights. Caused a LOT of problems... The way most MId TN agencies handle it is to not run any type of HLF or HAW while at a scene that the state is at. This mess came about over a bunch of Vol FF that lit their vehicles up, since the state law was so vague at that time. Needless to say when the law got re-written it screwed everything up... but yes, HLF on anything other than a LEO or FF veh is 'technically' illegal... I think it's left up to the individual agencies on enforcement policies, but i really dont know for sure.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

hitman38367

Member
May 23, 2010
881
West Tennessee, USA
There is a provision under the TCA emergency vehicle lighting laws that allow POVs to run HLFs. I will find it and post it as I have looked it up several times before to double check myself.
 

hitman38367

Member
May 23, 2010
881
West Tennessee, USA
Flashguy said:
Hey Lt,

Here is the information for the TN state laws regarding vehicles and lighting. It basically saws it's not allowed on any nonemergency vehicle. So, unless your chief recognizes and certifies POV's as emergency vehicles, it's against the law. I personally think wig-wag is a great emergency product and gets driver's attention. Good luck with your decision. I would hope a cop wouldn't write a fire officer a ticket for something like that!


Dan


55-9-402. Lights required on motor vehicles — Exceptions —No nonemergency vehicle shall operate or install emergency flashing light systems, such as strobe, wig-wag, or other flashing lights within the headlight assembly or grill area of the vehicle;


(d) (1) No vehicle operated in this state shall be equipped with any flashing red or white light or any combination of red or white lights that displays to the front of the vehicle except school buses, ..... and emergency vehicles used in firefighting, including ambulances, emergency vehicles used in firefighting that are owned or operated by the division of forestry, firefighting vehicles, rescue vehicles,.....privately owned vehicles of regular or volunteer firefighters certified in § 55-9-201©,.

Here is the guts of what you need to know. It was already posted. You are covered under TCA 55-9-201© as a Volunteer Firefighter and ARE allowed to use a headlight flasher under provisions of the TCA 55-9-402 due to your vehicle being classified as a PRIVATELY OWNED EMERGENCY VEHICLE OF A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER. Just make sure your chief certifies you as a volunteer firefighter that way your you are covered should you get a citation and go to court on it.
 

wema628

Member
May 30, 2010
203
USA / Tennessee
TCA 55-9-201© (1). is really all you need. we get a letter from the chief saying we can run emergency. We did have years ago a Tropper tell us the no one was to run any clear to the rear and he made it a point to say no one. So one day he tried to give a ticket to one of our medics and we advised him if he wrote the ticket he needed to right himself one. He never did and has never said another thing.
 

WS224

Member
Nov 28, 2010
1,049
West Tennessee
Here's the bottom line - most Troopers are DICKS. Period.
 
May 25, 2010
275
Quincy, Illinois
WS224 said:
Here's the bottom line - most Troopers are DICKS. Period.

The same thing could be said about VFF's who only join to run lights (and sirens here) so they feel cool and usually only come out when they are not needed and when they do they just screw up a scene.


It's very simple if you want to do it then do it the right way and for the right reasons plain and simple.
 

wema628

Member
May 30, 2010
203
USA / Tennessee
DEPUTYSTEPHENSON said:
The same thing could be said about VFF's who only join to run lights (and sirens here) so they feel cool and usually only come out when they are not needed and when they do they just screw up a scene.

It's very simple if you want to do it then do it the right way and for the right reasons plain and simple.

Very very true
 

WS224

Member
Nov 28, 2010
1,049
West Tennessee
DEPUTYSTEPHENSON said:
The same thing could be said about VFF's who only join to run lights (and sirens here) so they feel cool and usually only come out when they are not needed and when they do they just screw up a scene.

It's very simple if you want to do it then do it the right way and for the right reasons plain and simple.

Yes it could, and I agree with you. That however doesn't have anything to do with Troopers.


See post #9.
 

Forum Statistics

Threads
53,962
Messages
449,805
Members
19,102
Latest member
Hilux01

About Us

  • Since 1997, eLightbars has been the premier venue for all things emergency warning equipment. Discussions, classified listings, pictures, videos, chat, & more! Our staff members strive to keep the forums organized and clutter-free. All of our offerings are free-of-charge with all costs offset by banner advertising. Premium offerings are available to improve your experience.

User Menu

Secure Browsing & Transactions

eLightbars.org uses SSL to secure all traffic between our server and your browsing device. All browsing and transactions within are secured by an SSL Certificate with high-strength encryption.