TITLE 49

MOTOR VEHICLES

CHAPTER 6

RULES OF THE ROAD

49-623.  Authorized emergency or police vehicles. (1) The driver of an authorized emergency or police vehicle, when responding to an emergency call, or when in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law, or when responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm, may exercise the privileges set forth in this section, but subject to the conditions stated.

(2)  The driver of an authorized emergency or police vehicle may:

(a)  Park or stand, irrespective of the parking or standing provisions of this title;

(b)  Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation;

(c)  Exceed the maximum speed limits so long as he does not endanger life or property;

(d)  Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions.

(3)  The exemptions granted to an authorized emergency or police vehicle shall apply when necessary to warn and to make use of an audible signal having a decibel rating of at least one hundred (100) at a distance of ten (10) feet and/or is displaying a flashing light visible in a 360 degree arc at a distance of one thousand (1,000) feet under normal atmospheric conditions.

(4)  The foregoing provisions shall not relieve the driver of an authorized emergency or police vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons, nor shall these provisions protect the driver from the consequences of his reckless disregard for the safety of others.

(5)  The foregoing provisions shall apply to the driver of an authorized emergency or police vehicle of another state of the United States who enters this state in response to an emergency call, or when in the fresh pursuit of a suspected felon as provided in section 19-701, Idaho Code, or when responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm.

History:

[49-623, added 1988, ch. 265, sec. 155, p. 659; am. 2010, ch. 138, sec. 2, p. 292.]