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1998 SESSION

984396146
HOUSE BILL NO. 594
Offered January 21, 1998
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 46.2-1024 and 46.2-1025 of the Code of Virginia, relating to warning lights on certain vehicles.
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Patron-- Cantor
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Referred to Committee on Transportation
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 46.2-1024 and 46.2-1025 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 46.2-1024. Flashing or steady-burning red or red and white warning lights.

Any member of a fire department, volunteer fire company, or volunteer rescue squad and any ambulance driver employed by a privately owned ambulance service may equip one vehicle owned by him with no more than two flashing or steady-burning red or red and white combination warning lights of types approved by the Superintendent. Warning lights permitted by this section shall be lit only when answering emergency calls.

§ 46.2-1025. Flashing amber or amber and white warning lights.

A. The following vehicles may be equipped with flashing, blinking, or alternating amber or amber and white warning lights of types approved by the Superintendent:

1. Vehicles used for the principal purpose of towing or servicing disabled vehicles;

2. Vehicles used in constructing, maintaining, and repairing highways or utilities on or along public highways;

3. Vehicles used for the principal purpose of removing hazardous or polluting substances from state waters and drainage areas on or along public highways;

4. Vehicles used for servicing automatic teller machines, provided the amber lights are not lit while the vehicle is in motion;

5. Vehicles used in refuse collection, provided the amber lights are lit only when the vehicles are engaged in refuse collection operations;

6. Vehicles used by individuals for emergency snow-removal purposes;

7. Hi-rail vehicles;

8. Fire apparatus, ambulances, and rescue and life-saving vehicles, provided the amber lights are mounted or installed on the rear of the vehicles and are used in addition to lights permitted under § 46.2-1023;

9. Vehicles owned and used by businesses providing security services, provided the amber lights are not lit while the vehicle is being operated on a public highway;

10. Vehicles used to collect and deliver the United States mail, provided the amber lights are lit only when the vehicle is actually engaged in such collection or delivery;

11. Vehicles used to provide escorts for funeral processions;

12. Vehicles used to transport petroleum products, provided the amber light is mounted on the rear of the vehicle and is lit only when the vehicle's back-up lights are lit and its device producing an audible signal when the vehicle is operated in reverse gear, as provided for in § 46.2-1175.1, is in operation;

13. Vehicles used by law-enforcement agency personnel in the enforcement of laws governing motor vehicle parking;

14. Government-owned law-enforcement vehicles, provided the lights are used for the purpose of giving directional warning to vehicular traffic to move one direction or another and are not lit while the vehicle is being operated on a public highway;

15. Chase vehicles when used to unload a hot air balloon or used to load a hot air balloon after landing, provided the amber lights are not lit while the vehicle is in motion; and

16. Vehicles used for farm, agricultural, or horticultural purposes, or any farm tractor; and

17 Vehicles owned and used by construction companies operating under Virginia contractors licenses.

B. Such lights on hi-rail vehicles shall be activated only when the vehicles are operated on railroad rails. Such lights on other vehicles shall be lit only when performing the functions which qualify them to be equipped with such lights.