Minnesota Session Laws - 1994, Regular Session

                            CHAPTER 478-S.F.No. 1774 
                  An act relating to traffic regulations; permitting 
                  white strobe lights on rural mail carrier vehicles; 
                  amending Minnesota Statutes 1992, sections 169.01, by 
                  adding a subdivision; and 169.64, subdivision 8; 
                  Minnesota Statutes 1993 Supplement, section 169.64, 
                  subdivision 3. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1992, section 169.01, is 
        amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
           Subd. 79.  [RURAL MAIL CARRIER VEHICLE.] "Rural mail 
        carrier vehicle" is a motor vehicle operated by a rural mail 
        carrier on a rural mail route.  
           Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1993 Supplement, section 
        169.64, subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 3.  [FLASHING LIGHTS.] Flashing lights are 
        prohibited, except on an authorized emergency vehicle, school 
        bus, bicycle as provided in section 169.222, subdivision 6, road 
        maintenance equipment, tow truck or towing vehicle, service 
        vehicle, farm tractors, self-propelled farm equipment, rural 
        mail carrier vehicle, or on any vehicle as a means of indicating 
        a right or left turn, or the presence of a vehicular traffic 
        hazard requiring unusual care in approaching, overtaking or 
        passing.  All flashing warning lights shall be of the type 
        authorized by section 169.59, subdivision 4, unless otherwise 
        permitted or required in this chapter. 
           Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1992, section 169.64, 
        subdivision 8, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 8.  [WHITE STROBE LAMPS.] (a) Notwithstanding 
        sections 169.55, subdivision 1, 169.57, subdivision 3, clause 
        (b), or any other law to the contrary, a vehicle may be equipped 
        with a 360-degree flashing strobe lamp that emits a white light 
        with a flash rate of 60 to 120 flashes a minute, and the lamp 
        may be used as provided in this subdivision, if the vehicle is: 
           (1) A school bus that is subject to and complies with the 
        color and equipment requirements of sections 169.441, 
        subdivisions 1 and 2, and 169.442, subdivision 1.  The lamp 
        shall be permanently mounted on the longitudinal center line of 
        the bus roof not less than five feet nor more than seven feet 
        forward of the rear roof edge.  It shall operate from a separate 
        switch containing an indicator lamp to show when the strobe lamp 
        is in use.  The strobe lamp may be lighted only when atmospheric 
        conditions or terrain restrict the visibility of school bus 
        lamps and signals so as to require use of the bright strobe lamp 
        to alert motorists to the presence of the school bus.  A strobe 
        lamp may not be lighted unless the school bus is actually being 
        used as a school bus; or 
           (2) A road maintenance vehicle owned or under contract to 
        the department of transportation or a road authority of a 
        county, home rule or statutory city, or town, but the strobe 
        lamp may only be operated while the vehicle is actually engaged 
        in snow removal during daylight hours.  
           (b) Notwithstanding sections 169.55, subdivision 1; 169.57, 
        subdivision 3, clause (b), or any other law to the contrary, a 
        vehicle may be equipped with a 360-degree flashing strobe lamp 
        that emits an amber light with a flash rate of 60 to 120 flashes 
        a minute, and the lamp may be used as provided in this 
        subdivision, if the vehicle is a rural mail carrier vehicle, 
        provided that the strobe lamp is mounted at the highest 
        practicable point on the vehicle.  The strobe lamp may only be 
        operated while the vehicle is actually engaged during daylight 
        hours in the delivery of mail to residents on a rural mail route.
           The (c) A strobe lamp authorized by this section shall be 
        of a double flash type certified to the commissioner of public 
        safety by the manufacturer as being weatherproof and having a 
        minimum effective light output of 200 candelas as measured by 
        the Blondel-Rey formula. 
           Sec. 4.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
           Sections 1 to 3 are effective the day following final 
        enactment. 
           Presented to the governor April 18, 1994 
           Signed by the governor April 20, 1994, 1:58 p.m.