Senate Bill sb0402

    Florida Senate - 2004                                   SB 402

    By Senator Carlton





    23-141-04

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to emergency lights on

  3         vehicles; amending s. 316.2397, F.S.; requiring

  4         wreckers to display amber rotating or flashing

  5         lights in certain situations; providing an

  6         effective date.

  7  

  8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

  9  

10         Section 1.  Subsection (3) of section 316.2397, Florida

11  Statutes, is amended to read:

12         316.2397  Certain lights prohibited; exceptions.--

13         (3)  Vehicles of the fire department and fire patrol,

14  including vehicles of volunteer firefighters as permitted

15  under s. 316.2398, vehicles of medical staff physicians or

16  technicians of medical facilities licensed by the state as

17  authorized under s. 316.2398, ambulances as authorized under

18  this chapter, and buses and taxicabs as authorized under s.

19  316.2399 are permitted to show or display red lights. Vehicles

20  of the fire department, fire patrol, police vehicles, and such

21  ambulances and emergency vehicles of municipal and county

22  departments, public service corporations operated by private

23  corporations, the Department of Environmental Protection, the

24  Department of Transportation, and the Department of

25  Agriculture and Consumer Services as are designated or

26  authorized by their respective department or the chief of

27  police of an incorporated city or any sheriff of any county

28  are hereby authorized to operate emergency lights and sirens

29  in an emergency. Wreckers, mosquito control fog and spray

30  vehicles, and emergency vehicles of governmental departments

31  or public service corporations may show or display amber

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2004                                   SB 402
    23-141-04




 1  lights when in actual operation or when a hazard exists

 2  provided they are not used going to and from the scene of

 3  operation or hazard without specific authorization of a law

 4  enforcement officer or law enforcement agency. Wreckers must

 5  may use amber rotating or flashing lights while performing

 6  recoveries and loading on the roadside day or night, and while

 7  towing a vehicle on wheel lifts, slings, or under reach only

 8  if the operator of the wrecker deems such lights necessary. A

 9  flatbed, car carrier, or rollback may not use amber rotating

10  or flashing lights when hauling a vehicle on the bed unless it

11  creates a hazard to other motorists because of protruding

12  objects. Further, escort vehicles may will be permitted to

13  show or display amber lights when in the actual process of

14  escorting overdimensioned equipment, material, or buildings as

15  authorized by law. Vehicles of private watch, guard, or patrol

16  agencies licensed pursuant to chapter 493 may show or display

17  amber lights while patrolling condominium, cooperative, and

18  private residential and business communities by which employed

19  and which traverse public streets or highways.

20         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.

21  

22            *****************************************

23                          SENATE SUMMARY

24    Requires wreckers to use amber rotating or flashing
      lights when performing recoveries on the roadside or
25    while towing a vehicle on wheel lifts, slings, or under
      reach.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.