Is it illegal for civilians to use flashing lights and sirens?
Find answers to your legal question.
Is it illegal for civilians to use flashing lights and sirens?
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Is it legal in the United States for a civilian to operate a flashing blue and red light and/or a police siren? I mean, as in, flashing the lights or what not, not pulling people over.
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dsm37127
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it is highly illegal. you can have your car impounded, license suspended, fined, and could serve jail time for impersonating a law enforcement officer. |
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rockyfella25
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no it is illegal because the drivers will not know your not a undercover police officer.we have so many here in florida. |
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Jr. is angry
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depends on the state, and why you are using the lights.
usually, illegal.
here in conn. ,even a yellow light on a snow plow needs a permit. volunteer firefighters need a permit for their lights, and can only be used in an emergency.
you can place working emergency lights and sirens on your vehicle, but they can not be seen or used in public. so, you could put lights and siren under your hood and race around your yard chasing the dog, but that is about it.
if you buy an old state police cruiser at a state auction and put emergency lights on it, they get you with the additional charge of impersonating a police officer. |
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guitarstrummin
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Call your local law enforcement agency (anonymously) and ask what penalties you would face if caught. Someone could report your license plate # and you could also end up being pulled over. It's illegal and risky. If you played games with a driver and flashed blinking, blue/red lights on a car (which was driven by someone who just robbed a bank), you might get shot at.
If you want to play cops and robbers...do it in your backyard with a water pistol.
P.S. Relinquish your Driver's License to your parents until you grow up... |
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tercir2006
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Really, it all depends on how the lights were intended to be used. YOU CAN'T PUT FLASHING LIGHTS LIKE A POLICE OR OTHER EMERGENCY VEHICLE ON YOUR VEHICLE. That is "Unauthorized use of lights", and you can get ticketed. Same for sirens. If it's a car alarm and used as such, no problem. But use one that emulates an emergency vehicle, the same law holds true. You could end up in jail.
:( |
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bootz s
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yep |
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rita
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Illegal |
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Shane P
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Yes it is.. |
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eric b
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Absolutely illegal. |
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Beetroot Yourself
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Absolutely 100% illegal. |
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Harold M
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IN Arkansas yes it is illegal |
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AAcid
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It is pretty much universally illegal to have operating emergency vehicle lighting unless you have a license allowing you to use it (Often for Red, blue or green lights depending on state, may also include audible warnig devices.) There may be exemptions for show cars, but they stipulate the lights must be usable only at the shows, or that it is not normally driven.
Show lights on the road in a situation where you are not legally able to utilize them and you can be pulled over. Also, if you have warning equipment installed, and are pulled over, PD will in all likelihood not go easy on you. |
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Roz
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NO and there is a hefty fine if not jail time.
Those light are for emergency only, if you have a life or death emergency call 911.
Some times even cops and ambulances don't run code 3. |
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dmg1969
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If you are not in law enforcement, fire, EMS, fire police, etc, yes...it is. |
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sassy2
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My area is manned by volunteer firefighters and EMT. They use the flashing blue light and yes a driver must move over and allow them to pass. |
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annams44
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no it is not illegal. BUT you do need permits. in some states you need a permit for each different color light and for the sirens check with your local police department or at your city hall |
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Max Power
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No it is not legal, yellow lights are reserved for citizens. red and white combinations are reserved for emergency services, and red and blue combos are reserved for law enforcement.
As a civilian you may have red and yellow at the most. You also better have a pretty darn good reason for using it, so you can explain it to the real Red and Blue when they pull you over. Most of the time people using these are security companies using these on private property, not public roadways. Even police have to have a valid reason for flashing the lights. |
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Seth H
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Depends on your state.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Am7qmhPGPGxDVntXlb55lIojzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20080515160657AAes6Cz |
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JRob
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It depends youre state, and also there is certain city laws that are not directly affected by the state, it is not a federal law |
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