Disclaimer
This article was written by a contributing author, and is not meant to be taken as legal advice, nor is it intended to replace the state statutes. Do your due diligence, cross-check the statutes linked, and communicate with your local municipalities, registrar, or commissioner to ensure that you remain compliant and avoid costly fees.
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State Overview
Illinois law goes into great detail regarding LED lights on authorized emergency vehicles, commercial vehicles, and personal vehicles. Some of the provisions and regulations are unique to Illinois, so it is essential to read over the code to ensure that you and your fleet remain compliant to avoid costly fines and fees.
Illinois law does not provide any special segment for what qualifies as an authorized emergency vehicle. It just dives right into what lights are permitted on which type of vehicle and who is allowed to operate each vehicle.
Law Enforcement Statutes
Police, Marshall, and Sheriff Vehicles
Per 625 Illinois Compile Statute 5/12-215, police vehicles and law enforcement vehicles may use a red light or white oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights. Subsection (c) allows the police vehicle to be equipped with blue lights as long as it is used concurrently with the red light, and the city in which the vehicle belongs has a population of over 500,000. Subsection (b) allows a police vehicle to also be equipped with amber flashing lights that are oscillating, rotating, or flashing, and it must be used with the red light. All lights must be visible at 500 feet under normal atmospheric conditions and sunlight.
A police officer may operate their personal vehicle as a law enforcement vehicle as long as they gain permission from local authorities. This permission must be in writing and must always remain in the vehicle when operating as a law enforcement vehicle.
Illinois law does not indicate whether or not authorized emergency vehicles are permitted to disregard the posted speed limit or any other traffic laws, but they are generally allowed to when traveling to an emergency scene. When disregarding traffic laws, the officer driving the police vehicle must utilize their emergency lights. Using a siren is not always required for a police vehicle as it may alert a criminal that they are on their way. Police officers are expected to operate with due regard for the safety of all motor vehicles on the road or highway while disregarding traffic laws to prevent a car accident.
Motor vehicles on the road or highway must yield to a police vehicle when its LED emergency lights are illuminated. This is done by either changing lanes, slowing down, or driving to the side of the road or highway entirely to allow for the safe operation and passage of emergency responders in a police vehicle.
Fire and EMS Statues
Fire Trucks and Fire Chief SUVs
A fire truck or vehicle owned and operated by the fire department must have a red light or white oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights according to 625 Illinois Compile Statute 5/12-215. The emergency lights must be visible at 500 feet under normal atmospheric conditions and sunlight.
Fire chiefs and commissioners may have a red light and white oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights as long as they are operating their vehicle as an authorized emergency vehicle, are on their way to an emergency scene, and have taken and passed an emergency driver training course.
Illinois law doesn’t explicitly mention it, but generally, a fire truck or other fire vehicles are permitted to disregard the posted speed limit and any other traffic laws as long as their emergency lights are illuminated, and they are on their way to a “bona fide” emergency. An audible signal such as a bell, siren, or whistle is also required. The firefighter operating the truck must drive with due regard to the safety of traffic and all motor vehicles or pedestrians on the road or highway to prevent a car accident.
Traffic is mandated to yield to a fire truck or firefighter vehicles when its emergency lights are being used. They must do so by either changing lanes, slowing down, or pulling off the road or highway completely to allow for the safe operation and passage of emergency responders.
Volunteer Fire Fighter Vehicles
Strangely, a volunteer firefighter vehicle is permitted to use more colors on their LED emergency lights than vehicles owned and operated by the fire department. 625 Illinois Compile Statute 5/12-215 allows for the use of a red light or white oscillating, rotating, or flashing light. Sub Section (c) allows the volunteer firefighter vehicle to have flashing white headlights and a blue grill. In addition to those LED emergency lights, the vehicle may be equipped with a blue light that is oscillating, rotating, or flashing. All lights must be visible at 500 feet under normal atmospheric conditions and sunlight. The volunteer firefighter must carry a card or letter saying that they are part of the fire department.
When there is a “bona fide” emergency, the volunteer firefighter vehicle may display red and blue lights. While using their lights, emergency responders may disregard the posted speed limit and any other traffic law to get to the emergency scene quickly. Typically an audible signal such as a bell, siren, or whistle must be used at the same time, and they must also operate the fire vehicle with due regard to the safety of all motor vehicles on the road or highway.
Traffic is required to yield to a volunteer firefighter vehicle when it is displaying its emergency lights. This is done by either changing lanes, slowing down, or pulling off the road or highway completely to allow emergency responders to safely operate and pass.
Ambulance and EMT Vehicles
A red light or white oscillating, rotating, or flashing light may be attached to an ambulance per 625 Illinois Compile Statute 5/12-215. Subsection (c) allows for volunteer EMS to have a blue light that is oscillating, rotating, or flashing as long as it is used with the red light and emergency responders operating their personal vehicles as authorized emergency vehicles for EMS purposes pass an emergency vehicle operations training course. The lights must be visible at 500 feet under normal atmospheric conditions.
Generally speaking, an ambulance may disregard the posted speed limit and any other traffic law while their emergency lights are illuminated, and they are on their way to an emergency or transporting a patient. It is required for emergency responders driving the ambulance or volunteer EMS vehicle to do so with due regard to the safety of all motor vehicles on the road or highway.
Also, traffic must yield to an ambulance or authorized emergency vehicles operated by emergency responders and EMS if their emergency lights are illuminated. This is done by either changing lanes, slowing down, or pulling off the road entirely to allow for the safe operation and passage of emergency responders.
Commercial and Amber Statutes
Security Vehicles
625 Illinois Compile Statute 5/12-215 subsection (b) allows a security vehicle to amber lights that are oscillating, rotating, or flashing. The amber lights must be visible at 500 feet under normal atmospheric conditions.
In addition to the amber lights, 625 Illinois Compile Statute 5/12-207 allows a security vehicle to use a spot lamp as long as it is not directed toward traffic. There are no other provisions or restrictions mentioned for security vehicles under Illinois law.
Wreckers and Tow Trucks
Per 625 Illinois Compile Statute 5/12-215, a tow truck may use a red light or white oscillating, rotating, or flashing light if licensed with the state. Generally, a tow truck may only use an amber beacon as permitted under subsection (b). The lights must be visible at 500 feet under normal atmospheric conditions and sunlight. It must be used while servicing a disabled vehicle and can be used by a wheel lift while towing when headlights must be illuminated.
625 Illinois Compile Statute 5/12-207 allows a tow truck or wrecker to use a spot lamp to illuminate the area in which the driver needs to work. The light may not be pointed toward traffic so that it doesn’t cause an accident.
Tractors
625 Illinois Compile Statute 5/12-215 Sub Section (b) allows a tractor to use an amber light that is oscillating, rotating, or flashing to indicate to motor vehicles that there is a safety hazard present on the road or highway. The warning lights must be visible at 500 feet under normal atmospheric conditions and sunlight.
Utility Vehicles
A utility vehicle in the state of Illinois may use an amber beacon that oscillates, rotates, or flashes according to 625 Illinois Compile Statute 5/12-215 Sub Section (b) so that traffic is aware of the safety hazard present on the road or highway when they pass. The warning lights must be visible at 500 feet under normal atmospheric conditions and sunlight.
Pilot and Escort Vehicles
Pilot vehicles and escort vehicles may use an amber beacon that is oscillating, rotating, or flashing as long as a “Slow Moving Vehicle” emblem is visible on the vehicle per 625 Illinois Compile Statute 5/12-215. This informs traffic of the safety hazard that is present on the road or highway due to the oversized load or slow-moving load the pilot vehicle is escorting. The amber beacon must be visible at 500 feet under normal atmospheric conditions and sunlight.
Construction Vehicles
A construction vehicle must use an amber beacon that is oscillating, rotating, or flashing to warn motor vehicles of the safety hazard that is present on the road or highway as required by 625 Illinois Compile Statute 5/12-215 Sub Section (b). The light must be visible at 500 feet under normal atmospheric conditions and sunlight.
In addition to the amber beacon, construction vehicles may come equipped with a spot lamp as allowed by 625 Illinois Compiled Statute 5/12-207. The spot lamp is intended to light up the workspace and may not be aimed toward traffic so that it doesn’t blind drivers and cause an accident.
Funeral Procession
Funeral procession vehicles are not explicitly mentioned under Illinois law, but the rules surrounding the use of a pilot vehicle can generally apply to a funeral procession. Please contact your local municipalities to ensure that you are compliant with Illinois law.
If operating similarly to a pilot vehicle, a funeral procession vehicle may use an amber beacon that is oscillating, rotating, or flashing as long as they have a “Slow Moving Vehicle” emblem visible. This is covered under 625 Illinois Compile Statute 5/12-215 Sub Section (b). The amber beacon must be visible at 500 feet under normal atmospheric conditions and sunlight.
Personal Use
Emergency Lights On Personal Vehicles
Emergency lights are permitted on personal vehicles as long as the personal vehicles are being used as authorized emergency vehicles for the police, fire department, or EMS. A personal vehicle may use amber lights to indicate a safety hazard present on the road or highway.
Summary
Special Permits
In addition to the special permits required for volunteer fire vehicles and volunteer medical vehicles, the fire chief is also required to obtain a special permit to use LED lights on their personal vehicles. This is unique as the chief is generally the person that would be granted the permission to issue permits for their volunteers.
Takeaway
Illinois emergency lighting laws are all restricted to one statute. The statute is broken down into multiple subsections and provides plenty of information for the average business owner or person to understand. This article and a self-read-through of the statute should provide you with plenty of information to decide what lights you are permitted to use.
As always, this article is meant to be a starting point and is in no way legal advice or meant to replace the statutes themselves. Do your due diligence and read the Illinois statutes linked above that go into great detail regarding the use of LED lights for your fleet. If you encounter any confusion or perceived ambiguity, feel free to reach out to your local municipalities for more clarity.
