Missouri Laws on Emergency Vehicle Lights

Emergency vehicles, like ambulances, have special lights to alert other drivers.

Emergency vehicles often need to take a person in critical condition to the hospital as quickly as possible, rush to help extinguish a fire or rush to a crime scene. To help emergency vehicles safely drive through traffic quickly, states allow emergency vehicles to use special lights that notify other drivers of their presence.

Emergency Lights

Missouri law section 307.175 states that fire trucks, ambulances and rescue squad vehicles can use flashing or rotating blue lights. The state issues permits for the use of such emergency vehicle lights to organized fire squads, ambulance services and rescue squads, and forbids people without permits from using flashing blue emergency lights on their vehicles. Emergency vehicles, including police, may also use red lights to signal an emergency. Drivers of emergency vehicles should not use emergency lights except in emergencies, like when driving to a fire, responding to a call or in pursuit of a criminal.

Right of Way

According to Missouri law section 304.022, drivers must yield to emergency vehicles that display blue emergency lights or red emergency lights visible from 500 feet in front of the vehicle. On the highway, drivers should drive as far to the right of the emergency vehicle as possible and stop until the vehicle passes. Drivers in an intersection should finish driving through the intersection before stopping. Drivers should check to make sure no additional emergency vehicles are following the first one before continuing to drive, since emergency vehicles sometimes drive together in lines.

Stopped Emergency Vehicles

Drivers who approach a stopped emergency vehicle with red or blue emergency lights on should pass the vehicle slowly and carefully, according to Missouri law. Drivers should change lanes, when safe, to give the emergency vehicle some space. After passing an emergency vehicle, drivers should prepare themselves to pull over for the emergency vehicle in case it starts driving again.

Instructions

Emergency vehicles sometimes give instructions to nearby drivers over a loudspeaker. According to Missouri law, other drivers should follow instructions from an emergency vehicle using a siren or red and blue lights.

References

• Missouri General Assembly: Vehicle Equipment Regulations Section 307.175
• Missouri General Assembly: Traffic Regulations Section 304.022
• Missouri General Assembly: Chapter 4---Rules of the Road