Transportation § 22-218
- (a) Every emergency vehicle, in addition to any other equipment and
distinctive markings required by this subtitle, shall be equipped with a
siren, exhaust whistle, or bell capable of giving an audible signal.
- (b)
- (1) Every emergency vehicle, in addition to any other equipment
and distinctive markings required by the Maryland Vehicle Law, shall be
equipped with signal lamps mounted as high as practicable, which shall be
capable of displaying to the front and to the rear a flashing red light or
lights. These lights shall have sufficient intensity to be visible at 500
feet in normal sunlight.
- (2) Every school vehicle meeting the requirements established by the
Administrator shall be equipped with alternately flashing warning lights in
accordance with the standards adopted under § 22-228 of this subtitle.
- (c) A person may not drive or move on any highway any vehicle or
equipment that is equipped with or displays any light or signal device
designed to emit an oscillating, rotating, blinking, or other type of
emission of light, unless designated and authorized by the Administrator as
indicated in paragraphs (1) through (9) of this subsection. The provisions
of this section do not prohibit the display and use of any lighting device
that may be permitted or required elsewhere in the Maryland Vehicle Law.
- (1) Vehicles of the police department and other city, county, State, or
federal law enforcement agencies may be equipped with and display red,
white, or blue lights or signal devices.
- (2)
- (i) Vehicles of city, county, State, or federal fire departments
or duly constituted volunteer fire departments or rescue squads, or the
Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services System, may be equipped
with or display red and/or white lights or signal devices.
- (ii) In each volunteer fire company, no more than five of the
following officers may have their privately owned vehicles equipped with
red lights or signal devices which may be displayed only while on route to
or at the scene of an emergency:
- 1. The fire chief or the highest ranking fireline officer;
- 2. One or more of the assistant chiefs or deputy chiefs, whichever
rank is second in command; and
- 3. The emergency medical services commander.
- (iii)
- 1. The fire police of each volunteer fire company may
have their privately owned vehicles equipped with red lights or signal
devices designed to emit an oscillating, rotating, blinking, or other type
of emission of light.
- 2. The lights or signal devices may be flashed or oscillated or otherwise used only while the vehicle is at
the scene of an accident, flood, or other emergency to which the volunteer fire company is responding.
- (3) Ambulances may be equipped with or display red and/or white lights
or signal devices.
- (4) State vehicles used in response to oil or hazardous materials
spills may be equipped with or display red and/or white lights or signal
devices.
- (5) Service vehicles, rural letter carrier vehicles, slow moving
farm vehicles, and tow trucks may be equipped with or display yellow or
amber lights or signal devices.
- (6) State vehicles designated for emergency use by the
Commissioner of Correction may be equipped with or display red lights or
signal devices.
- (7) The blue, red, or white lights or signal devices may be
flashed or oscillated or otherwise used only while on route to or at the
scene of an emergency, and their use does not relieve an emergency vehicle
from otherwise giving an audible warning as required elsewhere in the
Maryland Vehicle Law.
- (8) The yellow or amber lights or signal devices permitted on
vehicles under paragraph (5) of this subsection may be flashed or
oscillated or otherwise used only in the course of official duties, to
indicate to the public that the vehicle is a slow moving vehicle or
otherwise is impeding traffic.
- (9)
- (i) An emergency vehicle of any foreign state may be equipped
with any lights or signals:
- 1. As provided by this subsection; or
- 2. As permitted by the state in which the vehicle is registered.
- (ii)
- 1. The use of any lights or signals permitted under
this paragraph is limited to an emergency vehicle, as defined in § 11-118 of this article, responding to an
emergency or pursuing a violator, and equipped with an audible signal as
provided in this section.
- 2. Foreign vehicles, as defined in § 11-124 of this article,
which are privately owned by members of volunteer fire companies, ambulance
or rescue squads, fire departments, and law enforcement agencies may be
equipped with lights or signals as permitted by the state in which the
vehicle is registered, but such lights or signals may be used while the
vehicle is in this State only by those personnel and under the
circumstances authorized under subsection (c)(2) of this section.
- (10) In addition to the penalties provided in Title 27 of this
article, any person convicted of a violation of this section may have his
driving privileges suspended for a period of 30 days, and the registration
of the vehicle may be suspended for a period of 30 days, notwithstanding
that the owner of the vehicle may not be the operator at the time of the
offense, unless the owner proves to the satisfaction of the Administration
that he had no control over the use or display of a light or signal device
and could not prevent the violation of this section.
- (d) A police vehicle when used as an emergency vehicle may, but need not
be, equipped with the flashing red and/or blue lights specified in this
section.
- (e) Except as provided in subsection (c)(2) of this section, the
flashing lighting described in subsections (b) and (c) of this section may
not be used on any vehicle other than an emergency vehicle, service
vehicle, or school vehicle.
- (f) The use of the signal equipment described in this section imposes
on drivers of other vehicles the obligation to yield the right-of-way and
stop as required in Title 21 of this article.
- (g) On taxicabs, the flashing green lights known as emergency hold-up
lights may be mounted on the roof or outside rear and front of the vehicle.
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