Colorado § 42-4-213 - Audible and visual signals on emergency vehicles.

§ 42-4-213. Audible and visual signals on emergency vehicles.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section or in section 42-4-222 in the case of volunteer fire vehicles and volunteer ambulances, every authorized emergency vehicle shall, in addition to any other equipment and distinctive markings required by this article, be equipped as a minimum with a siren and a horn. Such devices shall be capable of emitting a sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than five hundred feet.

(2) Every authorized emergency vehicle, except those used as undercover vehicles by governmental agencies, shall, in addition to any other equipment and distinctive markings required by this article, be equipped with at least one signal lamp mounted as high as practicable, which shall be capable of displaying a flashing, oscillating, or rotating red light to the front and to the rear having sufficient intensity to be visible at five hundred feet in normal sunlight. In addition to the required red light, flashing, oscillating, or rotating signal lights may be used which emit blue, white, or blue in combination with white.

(3) A police vehicle, when used as an authorized emergency vehicle, may but need not be equipped with the red lights specified in this section.

(4) Any authorized emergency vehicle, including those authorized by section 42-4-222, may be equipped with green flashing lights, mounted at sufficient height and having sufficient intensity to be visible at five hundred feet in all directions in normal daylight. Such lights may only be used at the single designated command post at any emergency location or incident and only when such command post is stationary. The single command post shall be designated by the on-scene incident commander in accordance with local or state government emergency plans. Any other use of a green light by a vehicle shall constitute a violation of this section.

(5) The use of either the audible or the visual signal equipment described in this section shall impose upon drivers of other vehicles the obligation to yield right-of-way and stop as prescribed in section 42-4-705.

(6) Any person who violates any provision of this section commits a class A traffic infraction.

Source: L. 94: Entire title amended with relocations, p. 2249, § 1, effective January 1, 1995.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 42-4-212 as it existed prior to 1994, and the former § 42-4-213 was relocated to § 42-4-215.