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
Minnesota has its laws surrounding the use of LED auxiliary lighting for an authorized emergency vehicle, commercial vehicle, and private vehicle sprinkled around several statutes. Some of the statutes appear to be rehashing information stated in other statutes, while others almost seem to contradict the information presented in early statutes. If you are confused or need additional clarity, contact your local municipalities for more information.
Note: Minnesota Statute 169.01 Subdivision 3 defines an authorized emergency vehicle as:
- Vehicle of a Fire Department
- Publicly Owned Police Vehicle
- Privately Owned Police Vehicle When Used by a Police Officer for Police Work
- Vehicle of a Licensed Land Emergency Ambulance Service (Public or Private)
- Emergency Vehicle of Municipal Department or Public Service Corporation
- Volunteer Rescue Squad.
This is not an exhaustive list, and the types of vehicles used can vary depending on the agency and permits granted by the commissioner.
Law Enforcement Statutes
Police, Marshall, and Sheriff Vehicles
Minnesota State Statute 169.17 requires all authorized emergency vehicles to have two red lights. One red light must be pointed toward the front of the vehicle and the other to the rear. It may be possible to substitute one LED light bar that displays a red light to the front and back simultaneously. Please double-check with your commissioner.
Minnesota State Statute 169.64 Subdivision 3 also requires a police vehicle or a law enforcement vehicle to be equipped with a blue light. This blue light may also have a white light mixed in. It doesn’t state it within Minnesota law, but you may be able to substitute one large LED light bar with the red, white, and blue light all displayed at the same time. Minnesota State Statute 169.59 Subdivision 4 requires that the emergency lights all be located on the same level and spread out as wide as practicable, with the light being visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight.
Per Minnesota State Statute 169.17, a law enforcement vehicle or police vehicle may be used to disregard the posted speed limit or any other traffic law while responding to an emergency call with its emergency lights illuminated. The emergency responders or police office operating the police vehicle while disregarding traffic laws must do so with due regard to the safety of every motorist on the road or highway.
Every motorist on the road or highway must yield to a police vehicle or law enforcement vehicle while they have their emergency vehicle lights illuminated. This is done by slowing down to allow the police officer to work safely on the side of the road, changing lanes to provide room for the police to go about their business, or pulling off the road or highway altogether to allow the police vehicle to pass safely.
Fire and EMS Statues
Fire Trucks and Fire Chief SUVs
Each authorized emergency vehicle, including a fire department vehicle or fire truck, must be equipped with a red light pointed toward the vehicle’s front, and red light pointed toward the rear per Minnesota State Statute 169.17. In addition to the red lights, a blue light may be used as well as a white light mixed in between as permitted by Minnesota State Statute 169.64 Subdivision 3. The emergency vehicle lights must be mounted at the same level and spread apart as widely as practicable while also being visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight per Minnesota State Statute 169.59 Subdivision 4.
Minnesota State Statute 169.17 says that a fire truck or fire department vehicle, with its emergency lights illuminated and audible signal such as a whistle, siren, or bell sounding, may disregard the posted speed limit or any other traffic law when responding to an emergency call. Emergency responders or firefighters operating the fire truck or fire department vehicle while disregarding traffic laws must do so with due regard to the safety of every motorist on the road or highway to prevent a car accident.
Traffic is required to yield to a fire truck or fire department vehicle while it has its emergency vehicle lights illuminated. This is achieved by slowing down, changing lanes, or driving to the side of the road or highway completely to allow firefighters safe room to operate or pass.
Volunteer Fire Fighter Vehicles
Minnesota State Statute 169.58 Subdivision 2 allows a volunteer firefighter to attach a red light to their private vehicle if they receive a permit from the commissioner of public safety. The LED red light cannot be more than three inches in diameter and may only be used while responding to an emergency call.
A volunteer firefighter, while responding to an emergency call and driving their personal vehicle as an authorized emergency vehicle, may disregard the posted speed limit and any other traffic law as long as they do so with due regard to the safety of every motorist on the road or highway to prevent a car accident. This permission is granted in Minnesota State Statute 169.17.
Traffic must yield to a private vehicle operated by a volunteer firefighter when it has its red light illuminated. To do this, every motorist on the road or highway must either change lanes, slow down, or pull off the road or highway completely to provide room for the volunteer firefighter to pass.
Ambulance and EMT Vehicles
As an authorized emergency vehicle, an ambulance must have two red lights attached to the roof as widely spaced as practicable and must be visible to the vehicle’s front and rear at 500 feet according to Minnesota State Statute 169.17 and 169.59 Subdivision 4. Minnesota State Statute 169.64 Subdivision 3 also states that an ambulance may have a blue light equipped with a white light along with the required red lights. It is entirely possible that these three or four auxiliary lights may be replaced with a lightbar that emits all three colors in all directions simultaneously.
Minnesota State Statute 169.17 allows emergency responders operating an ambulance to disregard the posted speed limit and any other traffic law when responding to an emergency call with its emergency vehicle lights illuminated and audible bell, siren, or whistle engaged. The driver must operate the ambulance or EMS vehicle with due regard to the safety of every motorist on the road or highway to prevent a car accident.
Traffic is required to yield to an ambulance when it has its emergency lights illuminated. This is done by the driver of the motor vehicle slowing down, changing lanes, or pulling off the road or highway completely to allow emergency responders room to work and or pass safely.
Commercial and Amber Statutes
Security Vehicles
A security vehicle is not explicitly mentioned in Minnesota law, but Minnesota State Statute 169.59 Subdivision 4 says that a vehicle may have flashing warning lights equipped If they need to alert traffic of a safety hazard that may be present. As a security vehicle is patrolling their required area, they are often driving slower and may stop, so this should qualify as a potential roadside hazard.
Wreckers and Tow Trucks
Minnesota State Statute 169.64 Subdivision 6 requires a tow truck to use an amber beacon when servicing a disabled vehicle. Minnesota State Statute 168B.16 states that a tow truck or wrecker must have a red light illuminated if they are servicing or loading a disabled vehicle on or near a road. These lights must be visible at 500 in normal sunlight and must be mounted as high as possible and as spread apart as practicable per Minnesota State Statute 169.59 Subdivision 4.
Tractors
If the tractor is used for road maintenance or snow removal, it must display a red light according to Minnesota State Statute 169.64 Subdivision 3. This light must be mounted as high as possible while being visible at500 feet in normal sunlight as required by Minnesota State Statute 169.59 Subdivision 4.
Utility Vehicles
Minnesota State Statute 169.64 Subdivision 6 indicates that a utility vehicle must be equipped with an amber beacon to alert traffic of the potential safety hazard present on the road due to workers maintaining utility equipment on or near the road or highway. Minnesota State Statute 169.59 Subdivision 4 requires the amber light to be mounted as high as possible and spread apart as widely as possible if using more than one beacon. The amber light must be visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight.
Pilot and Escort Vehicles
Minnesota State Statute 7455.0900 requires a pilot vehicle or escort vehicle to have one flashing light that is amber or yellow, and this light must be mounted as high as possible. The amber beacon or yellow light must also be visible at 500 feet for 360 degrees.
Construction Vehicles
If the construction vehicle is used for road maintenance and or snow removal, then it may be equipped with a blue light per Minnesota State Statute 169.64 Subdivision 3. In addition to the blue light, construction vehicles can be equipped with an amber beacon to alert traffic to the potential safety hazard on the road or highway as required by Minnesota State Statute 169.64 Subdivision 6. Minnesota State Statute 169.59 Subdivision 4 requires the light or lights be mounted as high as possible and as widely as practicable to be visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight.
Funeral Procession
Minnesota law is a little confusing regarding LED light provisions or restrictions for a funeral procession. It doesn’t explicitly mention what a funeral procession pilot car may have, but Minnesota State Statute 169.04 says that a funeral procession cannot be prohibited from using a red light. As a funeral procession often needs to control traffic and indicate that motorists need to yield, it makes sense that a red light is used. If a red light is equipped, it must be attached as high as possible and must be visible at 500 feet per Minnesota State Statute 169.59 Subdivision 4.
Personal Use
Emergency Lights On Personal Vehicles
Police officers using their personal vehicles for official police duties, volunteer EMS, volunteer firefighters, and personal vehicles used for commercial purposes are all permitted to have LED lighting equipped. Fire, EMS, and police may utilize a red light while commercial may only use a yellow or amber light. Minnesota State Statute 169.59 Subdivision 4 grants personal vehicles utilized for commercial purposes permission to use LED lighting, while Minnesota State Statute 169.58 Subdivision 2 permits personally owned authorized emergency vehicles to equip a red light.
Summary
Special Permits
In order to utilize a red light on a personal vehicle, you must obtain a permit from the commissioner of safety, and the permit must remain the vehicle at all times.
Takeaway
Minnesota law is convoluted, and the rules and provisions surrounding the use of LED lighting for an authorized emergency vehicle, commercial vehicle, and private vehicle are spread throughout several statutes. This can cause some confusion when cross-checking references.
This article is not meant to be legal advice, nor is it intended to replace the Minnesota State Statutes. If you have any confusion or need more clarity, do your due diligence and contact your local municipalities to ensure that you and your fleet remain compliant to avoid costly fines and fees.
