Blue Light Laws

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Permalink Reply by LEO AFD389NY on March 21, 2009 at 10:21am

No that is not true. In New York the blue light is a courtesy light. Drivers are not obligated to pull over for anyone who is running a blue light. Most drivers on the other hand will pull over for you if they se you coming down the road.

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Permalink Reply by Alex on March 21, 2009 at 10:25am

down here in North Carolina police are only allowed to have blue lights.and Fire are only allowed red and white.and if a fireman with a POV has blue he's arrested or fined for impercinating a police officer

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Permalink Reply by Austin on March 21, 2009 at 10:32am

Here's whats in Delaware. Any cirt. first responder can use there 4-ways and flashing head lights as a courtesy light.
If you have gone thru evoc training or have a cirt. from the Delaware fire school you may use blue and or white light lights.
If you don't move over for a blue light you can get a pretty big fine. That includes when there parked too.

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Permalink Reply by Austin on March 21, 2009 at 5:10pm

I also have to add that if you run blue/white in Delaware you pov is considered an EMERGENCY VEHICLE.

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Permalink Reply by mean15 on March 21, 2009 at 11:24am

How do you pull over for a blue light that is parked?

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Permalink Reply by Austin on March 21, 2009 at 1:46pm

Sorry, I should of explained it a little better.
"A new law to protect emergency workers and first responders takes effect in
Delaware. Called the “Move Over” law, it requires any driver approaching a stopped emergency
vehicle that has its lights activated, to either move over into a lane that is not next to the emergency
vehicle, or to reduce his or her speed to a “safe speed” while passing the emergency vehicle if
changing lanes would be impossible or unsafe."

I hope this clears things up.

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Permalink Reply by Erik Krantz on March 21, 2009 at 11:43am

I'm from Michigan, and now live in Indiana. I Michigan first responders and Volunteers run red lights with sirens and have all the same rules as a regular emergency vehicle. In Indiana their first responders and volunteers run blue lights, but can not have sirens. They also can not go through red lights or any thing like that (or so I've been told.) But for both states though you are only requesting the right of way, and not demanding it.

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Permalink Reply by strtcopr on March 21, 2009 at 11:56am

Well...no and yes.

A blue light displayed on the private vehicle of a volunteer firefighter is a courtesy light. It is displayed by such firefighter when responding to an emergency. Fellow drivers need not yield the right of way,however it is appreciated.

Recently in New York State, police vehicles are now allowed to display blue lights to the rear of their vehicles. They are to be used in conjunction with the other emergency lights utilized.

So, the answer to your question is..no, you don't have to yield to a volunteer firefighter utilizing a blue light and yes, you do have to yield to a police vehicle utilizing a rear facing blue light in conjunction with red and/or red and white lights.

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Permalink Reply by Dale on March 21, 2009 at 12:23pm

NYS policy is that you can have one light per say. but they rarely enforce it. The only one they do is no speeding, running lights or reckless driving. Also the law says that you cannot run a light that is is excess of 90 candle power and more than one rotater. The law says nothing of strobing lights. Unfortunitly, 90 candle power cant even be seen during the day more than 20ft in front.

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Permalink Reply by strtcopr on March 21, 2009 at 2:51pm

Actually there is a policy about strobing lights-and candle power and other little tid bits that not a lot of people know.

Blue strobe lights are not allowed.

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Permalink Reply by kevin daniels on March 21, 2009 at 2:35pm

blue lights are cops.u supposed to pull over to the right an stop when u see blue lights coming torwards u.pull over to the left if its coming torwards u head on.in va blue lights are cops.red lights are fire/ems

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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on March 21, 2009 at 2:42pm

No....The Blue lights are only a courtest light....It is like asking...."Please let me through, I have a call." But nothing says that you HAVE to.....Paul

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