WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor

Ch. 663

Article - Transportation

22-218.

(c) A person may not drive or move on any highway any vehicle or equipment that
is equipped with or displays any light or signal device designed to emit an oscillating,
rotating, blinking, or other type of emission of light, unless designated and authorized by
the Administrator as indicated in paragraphs (1) through (9) of this subsection. The
provisions of this section do not prohibit the display and use of any lighting device that
may be permitted or required elsewhere in the Maryland Vehicle Law.

(1)     Vehicles of the police department and other city, county, State, or
federal law enforcement agencies may be equipped with and display red and blue lights or
signal devices.

(2)      (i) Vehicles of city, county, State, or federal fire departments or duly
constituted volunteer fire departments or rescue squads, or the Maryland Institute for
Emergency Medical Services System, may be equipped with or display red and/or white
lights or signal devices.

(II) THE FIRE CHIEF, THE ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF, AND THE
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES COMMANDER FOR EACH VOLUNTEER FIRE
COMPANY, MAY HAVE THEIR PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH RED
LIGHTS OR SIGNAL DEVICES WHICH MAY BE DISPLAYED ONLY WHILE ON ROUTE TO
OR AT THE SCENE OF AN EMERGENCY.

[(ii)](III) 1. [In Harford County, the fire chief and the two chief
deputies] THE FIRE POLICE of each volunteer fire company may have their PRIVATELY
OWNED vehicles equipped with [amber] RED lights or signal devices designed to emit an
oscillating, rotating, blinking, or other type of emission of light.

2. The lights or signal devices may be flashed or oscillated or
otherwise used only while the vehicle is [on route to or] at the scene of an accident,
flood, or other emergency to which the volunteer fire company is responding.

(3)     Ambulances may be equipped with or display red and/or white lights or
signal devices.

(4)      State vehicles used in response to oil or hazardous materials spills may
be equipped with or display red and/or white lights or signal devices.

(5)      Service vehicles, rural letter carrier vehicles, slow moving farm vehicles,
and tow trucks may be equipped with or display yellow or amber lights or signal devices.

(6)      State vehicles designated for emergency use by the Commissioner of
Correction may be equipped with or display red lights or signal devices.

(7)     The blue, red, or white lights or signal devices may be flashed or
oscillated or otherwise used only while on route to or at the scene of an emergency, and
their use does not relieve an emergency vehicle from otherwise giving an audible warning
as required elsewhere in the Maryland Vehicle Law.

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