2006 Code of Virginia § 46.2-1025 - Flashing amber, purple, or green warning lights

46.2-1025. Flashing amber, purple, or green warning lights.

A. The following vehicles may be equipped with flashing, blinking, oralternating amber warning lights of types approved by the Superintendent:

1. Vehicles used for the principal purpose of towing or servicing disabledvehicles;

2. Vehicles used in constructing, maintaining, and repairing highways orutilities on or along public highways;

3. Vehicles used for the principal purpose of removing hazardous or pollutingsubstances from state waters and drainage areas on or along public highways;

4. Vehicles used for servicing automatic teller machines, provided the amberlights are not lit while the vehicle is in motion;

5. Vehicles used in refuse collection, provided the amber lights are lit onlywhen the vehicles are engaged in refuse collection operations;

6. Vehicles used by individuals for emergency snow-removal purposes;

7. Hi-rail vehicles, provided the amber lights are lit only when the vehiclesare operated on railroad rails;

8. Fire apparatus, ambulances, and rescue and life-saving vehicles, providedthe amber lights are used in addition to lights permitted under 46.2-1023and are so mounted or installed as to be visible from behind the vehicle;

9. Vehicles owned and used by businesses providing security services,provided the amber lights are not lit while the vehicle is being operated ona public highway;

10. Vehicles used to collect and deliver the United States mail, provided theamber lights are lit only when the vehicle is actually engaged in suchcollection or delivery;

11. Vehicles used to transport petroleum products, provided the amber lightis mounted on the rear of the vehicle and is lit only when the vehicle'sback-up lights are lit and its device producing an audible signal when thevehicle is operated in reverse gear, as provided for in 46.2-1175.1, is inoperation;

12. Vehicles used by law-enforcement agency personnel in the enforcement oflaws governing motor vehicle parking;

13. Government-owned law-enforcement vehicles, provided the lights are usedfor the purpose of giving directional warning to vehicular traffic to moveone direction or another and are not lit while the vehicle is in motion;

14. Chase vehicles when used to unload a hot air balloon or used to load ahot air balloon after landing, provided the amber lights are not lit whilethe vehicle is in motion;

15. Vehicles used for farm, agricultural, or horticultural purposes, or anyfarm tractor;

16. Vehicles owned and used by construction companies operating underVirginia contractors licenses;

17. Vehicles used to lead or provide escorts for bicycle races authorized bythe Department of Transportation or the locality in which the race is beingconducted;

18. Vehicles used by radio or television stations for remote broadcasts,provided that the amber lights are not lit while the vehicle is in motion;

19. Vehicles used by municipal safety officers in the performance of theirofficial duties. For the purpose of this subdivision, "municipal safetyofficers" means municipal employees responsible for managing municipalsafety programs and ensuring municipal compliance with safety andenvironmental regulatory mandates;

20. Vehicles used as pace cars, security vehicles, or fire-fighting vehiclesby any speedway or motor vehicle race track, provided that the amber lightsare not lit while the vehicle is being operated on a public highway; and

21. Vehicles used in patrol work by members of neighborhood watch groupsapproved by the chief law-enforcement officer of the locality in theirassigned neighborhood watch program area, provided that the vehicles areclearly identified as neighborhood watch vehicles, and the amber lights arenot lit while the vehicle is in motion.

B. Except as otherwise provided in this section, such amber lights shall belit only when performing the functions which qualify them to be equipped withsuch lights.

C. Vehicles used to lead or provide escorts for funeral processions may useeither amber warning lights or purple warning lights, but amber warninglights and purple warning lights shall not simultaneously be used on the samevehicle. The Superintendent of State Police shall develop standards andspecifications for purple lights authorized in this subsection.

D. Vehicles used by police, fire-fighting, or rescue personnel as commandcenters at the scene of incidents may be equipped with and use green warninglights of a type approved by the Superintendent. Such lights shall not beactivated while the vehicle is operating upon the highway.

(Code 1950, 46-273; 1954, c. 310; 1958, c. 541, 46.1-267; 1960, cc. 156,391; 1962, c. 512; 1966, cc. 655, 664; 1968, c. 89; 1972, c. 7; 1974, c. 537;1976, c. 6; 1977, c. 72; 1978, cc. 311, 357; 1980, c. 337; 1981, c. 338;1984, cc. 440, 539; 1985, cc. 248, 269, 287, 462; 1986, cc. 124, 127, 229;1987, cc. 347, 370; 1988, cc. 339, 351; 1989, c. 727; 1991, c. 465; 1992, cc.93, 410, 805; 1995, c. 727; 1997, c. 149; 1998, cc. 134, 417; 1999, cc. 18,72, 232; 2000, cc. 84, 121, 278; 2003, c. 93; 2005, c. 574.)