169.03 Emergency vehicles; exemptions; application.
Subdivision 1. Scope. The provisions of this chapter applicable to the drivers of vehicles upon the highways shall apply to the drivers of all vehicles owned or operated by the United States, this state, or any county, city, town, district, or any other political subdivision of the state, subject to such specific exemptions as are set forth in this chapter with reference to authorized emergency vehicles.
Subd. 2. Stops. The driver of any authorized emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency call, upon approaching a red or stop signal or any stop sign shall slow down as necessary for safety, but may proceed cautiously past such red or stop sign or signal after sounding siren and displaying red lights.
Subd. 3. One-way roadway. The driver of any authorized emergency vehicle, when responding to any emergency call, may enter against the run of traffic on any one-way street, or highway where there is authorized division of traffic, to facilitate traveling to the area in which an emergency has been reported; and the provisions of this section shall not affect any cause of action arising prior to its passage.
Subd. 4. Parking at emergency scene. An authorized emergency vehicle, when at the scene of a reported emergency, may park or stand, notwithstanding any law or ordinance to the contrary.
Subd. 5. Course of duty. No driver of any authorized emergency vehicle shall assume any special privilege under this chapter except when such vehicle is operated in response to any emergency call or in the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law.
Subd. 6. Working on highway. (a) The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to persons, motor vehicles, and other equipment while actually engaged in work upon the highway, except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c).
(b) This chapter shall apply to those persons and vehicles when traveling to or from such work, except that persons operating equipment owned, rented or hired by road authorities shall be exempt from the width, height and length provisions of sections 169.80 and 169.81 and shall be exempt from the weight limitations of this chapter while engaged in snow or ice removal and while engaged in flood control operations on behalf of the state or a local governmental unit.
(c) Sections 169.121 to 169.129 and 169.444 apply to persons while actually engaged in work upon the highway.
Subd. 7. Streetcar and trolley. Streetcars and trackless trolley cars, except where otherwise specifically provided, shall be governed by the same rules as provided in this chapter for vehicles and motor vehicles, only insofar as such rules apply to speed, stopped at through streets and railroad tracks, and obeying signals of traffic-control devices and rights-of-way, driving under the influence of drugs or intoxicating liquor, careless driving, and the stopping at the scene of an accident and giving the information as required by this chapter, and following vehicles too closely, and shall be entitled to the same rights and benefits of this chapter, as to warning, turning and stopping signals and rights-of-way, as any vehicles or motor vehicle in the streets and highways of this state.
Subd. 8. Transportation by animal. Every person riding an animal or driving any animal drawing a vehicle upon a roadway shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter applicable to the driver of a vehicle, except those provisions which by their nature can have no application.
Subd. 9. Renumbered 169.022
HIST: (2720-155, 2720-156) 1937 c 464 s 5-7; 1945 c 383 s 1; 1949 c 521; 1957 c 130 s 1; 1959 c 66 s 1; 1973 c 28 s 1; 1974 c 23 s 1; 1974 c 350 s 1; 1978 c 739 s 6; 1981 c 321 s 3; 1985 c 248 s 70; 1987 c 63 s 1; 1999 c 241 art 9 s 41
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes