What's happening
This bill requires drivers to yield to vehicles displaying a blue light, similar to existing rules for emergency vehicles.
Why it matters
Expands the right-of-way rules to include vehicles displaying blue lights. , which are typically used by volunteer firefighters or certain authorized personnel. This means drivers must now react to these vehicles the same way they do for ambulances or fire trucks with red lights.
Aims to improve emergency response times and safety for volunteer responders. by ensuring that other drivers yield promptly, potentially reducing delays as these volunteers head to emergencies.
Clarifies that drivers of blue-light vehicles are not exempt from driving with reasonable care. , maintaining a standard of safety and accountability even as they receive new right-of-way privileges.
May increase public awareness about the role and authority of blue-light vehicles. , helping reduce confusion and enhance cooperation between regular drivers and emergency volunteers during critical situations.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Yield to Blue Lights
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 111
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2971
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 23, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the operation of vehicles on approach of vehicles displaying a blue light
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 1144 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 300 of the laws of 1960 and subdivision (a) as amended by chapter 606 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
§ 1144. Operation of vehicles on approach of authorized emergency vehicles or vehicles displaying a blue light. (a) Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle equipped with at least one lighted lamp exhibiting red light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of five hundred feet to the front of such vehicle other than a police vehicle or bicycle when operated as an authorized emergency vehicle, and when audible signals are sounded from any said vehicle by siren, exhaust whistle, bell, air-horn or electronic equivalent or upon the immediate approach of a vehicle displaying a blue light pursuant to the provisions of paragraph four of subdivision forty-one of section three hundred seventy-five of this chapter; the driver of every other vehicle shall yield the right of way and shall immediately drive to a position parallel to, and as close as possible to the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway, or to either edge of a oneway roadway three or more lanes in width, clear of any intersection, and shall stop and remain in such position until the authorized emergency vehicle or such vehicle displaying a blue light has passed, unless otherwise directed by a police officer.
(b) This section shall not operate to relieve the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle or the driver of a vehicle displaying a blue light pursuant to the provisions of paragraph four of subdivision
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06523-01-7
A. 2971 2
forty-one of section three hundred seventy-five of this chapter from the duty to drive with reasonable care for all persons using the highway.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.