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
Montana’s state laws and statutes surrounding the use of LED lights for an authorized emergency vehicle, commercial vehicle, or personal vehicle are unique and different from most states. Combing through the regulations was moderately tricky as the information was spread out amongst several statutes, and it appears that some categories are either missing or not included altogether. Ensure that you contact your local municipalities for more information prior to installing LED lights on your fleet.
Law Enforcement Statutes
Police, Marshall, and Sheriff Vehicles
A law enforcement vehicle or police vehicle may be equipped with an alternately flashing light or rotating red or blue lights, according to Montana State Statute 61-9-402. The emergency light must be mounted as high as possible, and if using more than one emergency light must be spaced as widely apart laterally as practicable. When using multiple lights, there must be two in the front and two in the rear at the same level, and they must all be visible at 500 feet. They must also come equipped with an amber beacon that is flashing or rotating.
In addition to the flashing light or rotating lights that are red or blue, the police vehicle may be equipped with a flashing signal lamp that is green in color. This signal lamp must be visible from 260 degrees, attached to the exterior roof of the police vehicle, and visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight. The purpose of the green light is to indicate that there is a mobile command station, and the vehicle with the green light is considered the control vehicle.
Another set of lights that a police vehicle may be equipped with are lights that flash or alternate between headlamps or backup lights.
A law enforcement vehicle or police vehicle may disregard the posted speed limit and any other traffic law to arrive swiftly to an emergency scene. They must do so while their emergency LED lighting is illuminated. A police vehicle doesn’t need to use its audible signal, siren, or horn while responding to an emergency call. When disregarding traffic laws, the emergency responders must do so with due regard to the safety of every other motor vehicle on the road or highway to prevent an accident.
Traffic must yield to a police vehicle when its LED emergency lights are illuminated. This is done by changing lanes, slowing down, or pulling off the road or highway completely. This allows for the safe passage of an emergency responder or for the safe operation of emergency responders on an emergency scene.
Fire and EMS Statues
Fire Trucks and Fire Chief SUVs
A fire truck must come equipped with alternately flashing or rotating red lights that are mounted as high as possible and as widely spread laterally as practicable. The emergency lighting in the front must be at the same level, and the lighting in the rear must be at the same level. On a fire truck, the emergency lights must be visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight. They must also come equipped with an amber beacon that is alternately flashing or rotating.
When operating as a control vehicle, the fire truck or fire vehicle may display a green light or beacon that is visible for 360 degrees around the vehicle and is visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight.
A fire truck or fire vehicle is permitted to disregard the posted speed limit and any other traffic law while using their emergency lighting and an audible signal such as a bell, siren, or whistle. They are also required to be actively on their way to an emergency scene. The emergency responder must operate the fire truck or fire vehicle with due regard to the safety of every other motor vehicle on the road or highway.
Traffic must yield to a fire vehicle when its emergency lights are illuminated. They must do so by either changing lanes to provide room, slowing down to pass safely, or pulling off the road or highway completely to allow for the safe passage of emergency responders.
Volunteer Fire Fighter Vehicles
Montana State Statute 61-9-227 allows for a volunteer firefighter to use a blinker type or revolving red light on the front of the top of the personal vehicle owned by the volunteer. They must get permission from the chief of their respective departments and may only use the light when responding to an emergency.
The volunteer firefighter vehicle may be used to disregard the posted speed limit or any other traffic law while traveling to an emergency scene. This must be done while illuminating their emergency light and must be done with due regard to the safety of every other motor vehicle on the road or highway.
Traffic is required to yield to a fire vehicle and a volunteer fire vehicle when they are responding to an emergency call and have their emergency lights illuminated. This is done by changing lanes, slowing down, or pulling off the road or highway completely to allow emergency responders to pass safely.
Ambulance and EMT Vehicles
An ambulance is regulated identically to a fire vehicle in Montana. Per Montana State Statute 61-9-402, an ambulance must come equipped with flashing or rotating red lights. They must be mounted as high as possible in the front and rear and spaced as widely as practicable. They must also have an amber beacon that is flashing or rotating. Each of these lights must be visible at 500 feet during normal sunlight.
An ambulance may also operate as a control vehicle and display a green lamp or rotating beacon that is visible from 360 degrees, and it must be attached to the top of the vehicle. This green light must also be visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight.
Emergency responders in an ambulance are permitted to disregard the posted speed limit or any other traffic law when responding to an emergency call. They must do so while illuminating their emergency lights and while using an audible signal such as a bell, siren, or whistle. They must also do so with due regard to the safety of any other motor vehicle on the road or highway.
It is required for traffic to yield to an ambulance when they are using their emergency lighting. This is done by changing lanes, slowing down, or pulling off the road or highway completely to allow the emergency responders to pass safely.
Commercial and Amber Statutes
Security Vehicles
Montana State Law makes no mention of regulation or permissions regarding the use of LED warning lights for a security vehicle. This does not necessarily mean that they are not permitted or allowed. Generally, a security vehicle may come equipped with an amber beacon or white strobe light and a white spotlight. Please get in touch with your local municipalities before equipping any LED lighting to your security fleet to ensure compliance with local law.
Wreckers and Tow Trucks
Montana State Statute 61-9-411 permits a tow truck or wrecker to have three warning flares or red lamps. These LED lamps are not permitted to be attached to the vehicle, but they are to be portable and are meant to be used to indicate to traffic that they are approaching a potential safety hazard.
Although there is no mention of using an amber beacon or other emergency light on a tow truck or wrecker, since they are on the road or highway creating a safety hazard, there might be provisions that your local municipalities can make you aware of. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with them to remain compliant with Montana Law.
Tractors
There is no explicit mention to tractors in Montana law regarding the use of LED lights or warning lights for a tractor. If the vehicle is being used for construction purposes, then you can apply the construction vehicle provisions to the tractor, where they may have two fog lamps that are located higher than 16 inches and lower than 42 inches. This is indicated in Montana State Statute 61-9-217. Since tractors are not considered an emergency vehicle in Montana, the lights must remain either yellow or white.
Utility Vehicles
There are no provisions or regulations mentioned in Montana Law surrounding the use of LED warning lights for a utility vehicle. This may or may not mean that the lighting is disallowed. A utility vehicle may typically utilize an amber beacon or flashing light that is amber in color. Make sure to communicate with your local municipalities before equipping any amber light or other forms or emergency lights or LED lighting to your utility vehicle.
Pilot and Escort Vehicles
It wasn’t easy to find accurate information on the use of LED lights for a pilot vehicle in Montana. What is clear is that a pilot vehicle must display the words “Oversized Load” on the top of the vehicle, and the letters must be at least eight inches tall.
The information that is not immediately clear is the laws surrounding lighting. Montana law doesn’t mention a pilot or escort vehicle when it comes to lighting, but images from Montana and other websites suggest that a white strobe light or flashing and rotating beacon may accompany the eight-inch “Oversized Load” sign. Contact your local municipalities for more clarity.
Construction Vehicles
In Montana, a construction vehicle is not considered an emergency vehicle, so they may not use the typical amber beacon. They may, however, use two auxiliary lights or fog lamps that are located at least 16 inches from the ground and no more than 42 inches high per Montana State Statute 61-9-217. The purpose of these lights is to illuminate the roadside work area so that every motor vehicle on the road or highway is aware of the presence of a potential safety hazard.
Funeral Procession
A funeral procession is not mentioned in Montana law when it comes to the use of warning lights for their pilot vehicles. The rules surrounding a pilot vehicle generally apply to the funeral procession pilot vehicle, but in the state of Montana, pilot vehicles appear to be restricted solely to oversized loads. Contact your local municipalities to make sure that your funeral procession pilot vehicle is permitted to use a warning light or if you are restricted.
Personal Use
Emergency Lights On Personal Vehicles
Aside from any permissions granted for the use of an emergency light on a personal vehicle when used as an authorized emergency vehicle, there are no provisions allowed for LED lights on a personal vehicle mentioned. This does not necessarily mean that a personal vehicle may not use LED lights. Please get in touch with your local municipalities to see if there are any provisions for hobbies or other personal or private events.
Summary
Special Permits
Aside from the permits required for volunteer emergency responders and their personal vehicles, there are no other listed special permits available for LED lights. This does not necessarily mean that others do not exist. Please get in touch with your local municipalities for more information regarding your specific LED light needs.
Takeaway
Montana State Law offers an array of information regarding emergency lights for an authorized emergency vehicle. The information is detailed and clear so that emergency responders are aware of the laws surrounding their use. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for commercial or personal use. There is less information, and some of it is relatively ambiguous.
To avoid confusion due to ambiguity and lack of explicit mention for some industries, it is highly recommended that you contact your local municipalities to double-check the information listed here. Do your due diligence to remain compliant with Montana Vehicle Code to avoid any costly fees.
