Chapter 497 Oregon Laws 1999

Session Law

AN ACT

HB 2467

Relating to vehicle warning lights; amending ORS 811.525, 816.280 and 816.350.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. ORS 816.280 is amended to read:

816.280. This section establishes standards for different types of warning lights. Each of the following is a requirement for warning lights as described:

(1) The following are the colors for the indicated type of warning light:

(a) Public vehicle warning lights and pilot vehicle warning lights shall be amber.

(b) Tow vehicle warning lights may be amber or red.

(d) Warning lights on vehicles engaged in the removal, containment or cleanup of a hazardous materials release, and on vehicles at the scene of a potential release of hazardous materials, may be red or amber.

(e) Warning lights on vehicles being used by medical examiners to reach the scene of an accident or of a death investigation may be red.

(2) Warning lights shall provide an intermittent light that may be either of a revolving or flashing type or any other type that provides an intermittent light.

(3) All warning lights shall be visible from a distance of not less than 500 feet under normal atmospheric conditions at night.

SECTION 2. ORS 811.525 is amended to read:

811.525. This section establishes exemptions from ORS 811.515 and 811.520. The exemptions under this section are in addition to any exemptions under ORS 801.026. The exemptions established under this section are partial or complete as described in the following:

(1) ORS 811.515 and 811.520 shall not be construed to prohibit the use of additional parts and accessories on any vehicle not inconsistent with the provisions of those sections.

(2) Except for the provisions relating to exempt-vehicle safety lighting equipment, ORS 811.515 and 811.520 do not apply to any of the following:

(a) Road machinery.

(b) Road rollers.

(d) Antique motor vehicles that are maintained as a collector's item and used for exhibitions, parades, club activities and similar uses, but not used primarily for the transportation of persons or property.

(3) Whenever motor and other vehicles are operated in combination during the time that lights are required, any lighting equipment, except the taillight, which by reason of its location on a vehicle of the combination would be obscured by another vehicle of the combination, need not be lighted. This subsection shall not affect the requirement that lighted clearance lights be displayed on the front of the foremost vehicle required to have clearance lights nor the requirement that all lights on the rear of the rearmost vehicle of the combination be lighted.

(4) Lighting equipment on bicycles shall be lighted as required under ORS 815.280.

(5) Parked or stopped vehicles are not required to display parking lights if the road authority for the highway provides by ordinance or resolution that no lights need be displayed upon a vehicle parked on the highway in accordance with legal parking regulations where there is sufficient light to render clearly discernible any person or object within a distance of 500 feet from the highway.

(6) Nothing under ORS 811.515 and 811.520 limits the ability to use the following lights with any other lights during the day or at night:

(a) Public vehicle warning lights.

(b) Pilot vehicle warning lights.

(d) Police lights.

(e) Warning lights on vehicles at the scene of an actual or potential release of hazardous materials, as described in ORS 816.280.

(f) Warning lights on vehicles being used by medical examiners to reach the scene of an accident or of a death investigation, as described in ORS 816.280.

(7) Requirements for use of motorcycle and moped headlights are under ORS 814.320.

SECTION 3. ORS 816.350 is amended to read:

816.350. This section establishes requirements for ORS 816.360. When specific types of lighting equipment are mentioned by this section, those types are types described under ORS 816.040 to 816.290. Except as allowed under this section or where an exemption under ORS 816.370 specifically provides otherwise, a vehicle that does not comply with this section is in violation of ORS 816.360:

(1) A motorcycle or moped shall not be equipped with more than two headlights.

(2) Except when blue or purple inserts are allowed under ORS 816.080, 816.100 or 816.120, no vehicle shall have any lighting equipment mounted on the rear that displays or reflects any color other than red except for the following lighting equipment:

(a) Turn signal lights.

(b) Rear mounted lighting systems.

(d) Back-up lights.

(3) Except as otherwise allowed under this section, only the following types of vehicles may be equipped with public vehicle warning lights:

(a) A vehicle operated by the state, or any county, city, district or other political subdivision of the state, and used for the construction, improvement, repair, maintenance, operation or patrol of any public highway.

(b) Vehicles operated by a public utility or telecommunications utility involved in maintenance, repair or construction of their facilities along public rights of way.

(4) Vehicles operated by a police officer and used for law enforcement may be equipped with any type of police lights, but only such vehicles may be equipped with blue lights.

(5) Except as otherwise allowed under this section, only a vehicle operated by a weighmaster or motor carrier enforcement officer proceeding under the authority of ORS 810.530 may be equipped with weighmaster warning lights.

(6) Except as otherwise allowed under this section, only tow vehicles may be equipped with tow vehicle warning lights.

(7) Except as otherwise allowed under this section, only a motor vehicle escort accompanying a motor vehicle carrying or towing a load of a size or description not permitted under ORS 815.160, 815.170, 818.020, 818.060, 818.090, 818.110, 818.160 and 818.300 may be equipped with a pilot vehicle warning light.

(8) Except as otherwise allowed under this section, only the following vehicles may be equipped with bus safety lights:

(a) School buses.

(b) Worker transport buses.

(9) No vehicle except a vehicle used in active service transporting United States Mail may be equipped with mail delivery lights.

(10) Except as otherwise allowed under this section, fire company warning lights may only be used on the following vehicles:

(a) An emergency vehicle.

(b) A vehicle authorized under a permit issued under ORS 818.250.

(11) Except as otherwise allowed under this section, no vehicle or equipment shall display or carry any lighting equipment or device with a red light visible from directly in front of the vehicle or equipment.

(12) Except as otherwise allowed under this section, all flashing lights are prohibited on all motor vehicles on any street or highway except for turn signals, hazard lights and headlight flashing systems described in ORS 816.050.

(13) No motor vehicle other than an emergency vehicle shall be equipped with more than one spot light.

(14) No motor vehicle shall be equipped with more than two cowl or fender lights.

(15) A vehicle at the scene of an actual or potential release of hazardous materials may be equipped with warning lights as described in ORS 816.280 (1)(d).

(16) A vehicle being used by medical examiners to reach the scene of an accident or of a death investigation may be equipped with warning lights as described in ORS 816.280 (1)(e).

Approved by the Governor July 6, 1999

Filed in the office of Secretary of State July 6, 1999

Effective date October 23, 1999

__________