PRINTER'S NO. 1134
No. 997 Session of 1985
INTRODUCED BY FREEMAN, POTT, CIVERA, BELFANTI, MICHLOVIC,
BORTNER, PETRONE, MRKONIC, MORRIS, SWEET, BELARDI, PRATT,
DALEY, TRELLO, PISTELLA, McVERRY, GRUPPO, FOX AND PETRARCA,
APRIL 22, 1985
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, APRIL 22, 1985
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2 Statutes, permitting ambulances to proceed past red lights
3 and stop signs and to exceed the maximum speed limit.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Section 3105 of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania
7 Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
8 § 3105. Drivers of emergency vehicles.
9 (a) General rule.--The driver of an emergency vehicle, when
10 responding to an emergency call or when in the pursuit of an
11 actual or suspected violator of the law or when responding to
12 but not upon returning from a fire alarm, may exercise the
13 privileges set forth in this section, but subject to the
14 conditions stated in this section.
15 (b) Exercise of special privileges.--The driver of an
16 emergency vehicle may:
17 (1) Park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of
1 this part.
2 (2) Proceed past a red signal indication or stop sign,
3 but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe
4 operation, except as provided in subsection (d).
5 (3) Exceed the maximum speed limits so long as the
6 driver does not endanger life or property, except as provided
7 in subsection (d).
8 (4) Disregard regulations governing direction of
9 movement or turning in specified directions.
10 (c) Audible and visual signals required.--The privileges
11 granted in this section to an emergency vehicle shall apply only
12 when the vehicle is making use of an audible signal and visual
13 signals meeting the requirements and standards set forth in
14 regulations adopted by the department, except that an emergency
15 vehicle operated as a police vehicle need not be equipped with
16 or display the visual signals.
17 (d) [Ambulances and blood-delivery] Blood-delivery
18 vehicles.--The driver of [an ambulance or] a blood-delivery
19 vehicle shall comply with maximum speed limits, red signal
20 indications and stop signs. After ascertaining that the
21 [ambulance or] blood-delivery vehicle will be given the right-
22 of-way, the driver may proceed through a red signal indication
23 or stop sign.
24 (e) Exercise of care.--This section does not relieve the
25 driver of an emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due
26 regard for the safety of all persons.
27 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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