HF 2434

as introduced - 83rd Legislature (2003 - 2004) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to public safety; providing consistent 
  1.3             standards for use of emergency vehicle lights and 
  1.4             sirens by law enforcement officers; amending Minnesota 
  1.5             Statutes 2002, section 169.20, subdivision 5. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 169.20, 
  1.8   subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 5.  [EMERGENCY VEHICLE; PENALTIES.] (a) Except as 
  1.10  otherwise provided in paragraphs (b) and (c), upon the immediate 
  1.11  approach of an authorized emergency vehicle equipped with at 
  1.12  least one lighted lamp exhibiting red light visible under normal 
  1.13  atmospheric conditions from a distance of 500 feet to the front 
  1.14  of the vehicle and, except as otherwise provided in paragraph 
  1.15  (b), when the driver is giving audible signal by siren, the 
  1.16  driver of each other vehicle shall yield the right-of-way and 
  1.17  shall immediately drive to a position parallel to and as close 
  1.18  as possible to the right-hand edge or curb of the highway clear 
  1.19  of any intersection, and shall stop and remain in this position 
  1.20  until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed, except when 
  1.21  otherwise directed by a police officer.  The driver of another 
  1.22  vehicle on a one-way roadway shall drive to the closest edge or 
  1.23  curb and stop.  
  1.24     (b) The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle escorting 
  1.25  the movement of an oversize or overweight vehicle or load need 
  2.1   not sound an audible signal by siren but shall exhibit the light 
  2.2   required by paragraph (a).  The driver of each other vehicle 
  2.3   then shall yield the right-of-way, as required by paragraph (a), 
  2.4   to the emergency vehicle escorting the oversize or overweight 
  2.5   vehicle or load. 
  2.6      (c) Upon the approach of an authorized emergency vehicle 
  2.7   the driver of each streetcar shall immediately stop the car 
  2.8   clear of any intersection and keep it in this position and keep 
  2.9   the doors and gates of the streetcar closed until the authorized 
  2.10  emergency vehicle has passed, except when otherwise directed by 
  2.11  a police officer. The driver of a law enforcement vehicle may 
  2.12  display the light required by paragraph (a) or may sound an 
  2.13  audible signal by siren, or both, but need not do both.  The 
  2.14  driver of any other vehicle then must yield the right-of-way, as 
  2.15  required by paragraph (a), to the law enforcement vehicle. 
  2.16     (d) This subdivision does not operate to relieve the driver 
  2.17  of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with 
  2.18  due regard for the safety of persons using the highways. 
  2.19     (e) A driver who fails to comply with paragraph (a), (b), 
  2.20  or (c) is guilty of a petty misdemeanor and may be penalized 
  2.21  according to section 169.89. 
  2.22     (f) A driver who intentionally obstructs an emergency 
  2.23  vehicle or otherwise intentionally fails to comply with 
  2.24  paragraph (a), (b), or (c) is guilty of a misdemeanor. 
  2.25     [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective August 1, 2004, 
  2.26  and applies to crimes committed on or after that date.