Senate Bill No. 337–Senator O’Donnell

March 8, 1999

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Referred to Committee on Transportation

 

SUMMARY—Revises provisions concerning use of siren by emergency vehicle. (BDR 43-860)

FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.

Effect on the State or on Industrial Insurance: No.

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

 

AN ACT relating to motor vehicles; making optional the use of a siren by an emergency vehicle; specifically authorizing an emergency vehicle to operate warning lamps without sounding the siren; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

1-1 Section 1. NRS 484.261 is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-2 484.261 1. The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle or an

1-3 official vehicle of a regulatory agency, when responding to an emergency

1-4 call or when in pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law or when

1-5 responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm, or a vehicle

1-6 escorting a funeral procession, may:

1-7 (a) Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing

1-8 down as may be necessary for safe operation.

1-9 (b) Exceed any speed limits so long as he does not endanger life or

1-10 property, except that a vehicle escorting a funeral procession may not

1-11 exceed the speed limit by more than 15 miles per hour to overtake the

1-12 procession and direct traffic at the next intersection.

1-13 (c) Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in

1-14 specified directions. The driver of a vehicle escorting a funeral procession

1-15 may direct the movements of the vehicles in the procession in a similar

1-16 manner and may direct the movements of other vehicles.

1-17 2. The privileges granted in subsection 1 apply only when the vehicle

1-18 is making use of [audible] :

2-1 (a) Audible and visual signals ; or

2-2 (b) Visual signals only,

2-3 as required by law.

2-4 3. The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle or an official vehicle

2-5 of a regulatory agency may park or stand without regard to the provisions

2-6 of this chapter if he makes use of a warning lamp.

2-7 4. The provisions of this section do not relieve the driver from the duty

2-8 to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons and do not protect the

2-9 driver from the consequences of his reckless disregard for the safety of

2-10 others.

2-11 Sec. 2. NRS 484.607 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2-12 484.607 1. Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway must

2-13 be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting

2-14 sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than 200

2-15 feet, but the horn or other warning device must not emit an unreasonably

2-16 loud or harsh sound or a whistle.

2-17 2. A person driving a motor vehicle shall, when reasonably necessary

2-18 to ensure safe operation, give audible warning with his horn, but shall not

2-19 otherwise use the horn when upon a highway.

2-20 3. A vehicle must not be equipped with, and a person shall not use

2-21 upon a vehicle, a siren, whistle or bell, except as otherwise provided in this

2-22 chapter.

2-23 4. It is permissible, but not required, to equip a vehicle with a theft

2-24 alarm which is arranged so that it cannot be used by the driver as an

2-25 ordinary warning signal.

2-26 5. An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with a siren,

2-27 whistle or bell, capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions

2-28 from a distance of not less than 500 feet, but the siren must not be used

2-29 except when the vehicle is operated in response to an emergency call or in

2-30 the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law, in which

2-31 event the driver of the vehicle [shall] may sound the siren [when necessary]

2-32 to warn pedestrians and other drivers of his approach. A driver of an

2-33 emergency vehicle may operate the vehicle’s warning lamps without

2-34 sounding the siren.

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