Author:
Somehwere in Tejas
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Date Posted: 12:12:41 12/12/02 Thu
In reply to:
Fred Sig
's message, "You'd better double-check your information" on 20:26:06 12/11/02 Wed
Texas has no provisions for blue, red, or any other mandated color for police vehicles. In Texas, you will constantly see the use of blue lights for highway construction vehicles, DOT vehicles, signal maint vehicles, tow trucks, etc. Recently, the same types of vehicles are using all-white, typcially strobes. Basically, it is a free-for-all in Texas. While there is a section that says you cannot operate a vehicle with red, blue or white flashing lights, it is rarely (if at all) enforced.
As close as TX gets to mandating emergency lights is found in § 547.702 (2) (below) where it is required to have two flashing red lights to the front and two to the rear. But police are exempt. In essence, the exemption would clear the way for police vehicles to have only blue, white, amber, green or nothing at all.
Texas laws:
§ 546.004. Exceptions to Signal Requirement
(b) An authorized emergency vehicle that is operated as a police vehicle is not required to be equipped with or display a red light visible from the front of the vehicle.
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§ 547.305. Restrictions on Use of Lights
(b) Except as expressly authorized by law, a person may not operate or move equipment or a vehicle, other than a police vehicle, with a lamp or device that displays a red light visible from directly in front of the center of the equipment or vehicle.
(c) A person may not operate a motor vehicle equipped with a red, white, or blue beacon, flashing, or alternating light unless the equipment is:
(1) used as specifically authorized by this chapter; or
(2) a running lamp, headlamp, taillamp, backup lamp, or turn signal lamp that is used as authorized by law.
(d) A vehicle may be equipped with alternately flashing lighting equipment described by Section 547.701 or 547.702 only if the vehicle is:
(1) a school bus;
(2) an authorized emergency vehicle;
(3) a church bus that has the words "church bus" printed on the front and rear of the bus so as to be clearly discernable to other vehicle operators;
(4) a tow truck while under the direction of a law enforcement officer at the scene of an accident or while hooking up to a disabled vehicle on a roadway; or
(5) a tow truck with a mounted light bar which has turn signals and stop lamps in addition to those required by Sections 547.322, 547.323, and 547.324, Transportation Code.
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§ 547.702. Additional Equipment Requirements for Authorized Emergency Vehicles
(c) Except as provided by this section, an authorized emergency vehicle shall be equipped with signal lamps that:
(1) are mounted as high and as widely spaced laterally as practicable;
(2) display four alternately flashing red lights, two located on the front at the same level and two located on the rear at the same level; and
(3) emit a light visible at a distance of 500 feet in normal sunlight.
(f) A police vehicle may, but is not required to, be equipped with signal lamps that comply with Subsection (c).
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