SB0054 Engrossed LRB094 05453 DRH 35498 b

1     AN ACT concerning transportation.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by changing
5 Sections 12-215 and 15-101 as follows:
 
6     (625 ILCS 5/12-215)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-215)
7     Sec. 12-215. Oscillating, rotating or flashing lights on
8 motor vehicles. Except as otherwise provided in this Code:
9     (a) The use of red or white oscillating, rotating or
10 flashing lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited
11 except on:
12         1. Law enforcement vehicles of State, Federal or local
13     authorities;
14         2. A vehicle operated by a police officer or county
15     coroner and designated or authorized by local authorities,
16     in writing, as a law enforcement vehicle; however, such
17     designation or authorization must be carried in the
18     vehicle;
19         3. Vehicles of local fire departments and State or
20     federal firefighting vehicles;
21         4. Vehicles which are designed and used exclusively as
22     ambulances or rescue vehicles; furthermore, such lights
23     shall not be lighted except when responding to an emergency
24     call for and while actually conveying the sick or injured;
25         5. Tow trucks licensed in a state that requires such
26     lights; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted on
27     any such tow truck while the tow truck is operating in the
28     State of Illinois;
29         6. Vehicles of the Illinois Emergency Management
30     Agency, vehicles of the Illinois Department of Public
31     Health, and vehicles of the Department of Nuclear Safety;
32         7. Vehicles operated by a local or county emergency

 

 

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1     management services agency as defined in the Illinois
2     Emergency Management Agency Act; and
3         8. School buses operating alternately flashing head
4     lamps as permitted under Section 12-805 of this Code; and .
5         9. 8. Vehicles that are equipped and used exclusively
6     as organ transplant vehicles when used in combination with
7     blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights;
8     furthermore, these lights shall be lighted only when the
9     transportation is declared an emergency by a member of the
10     transplant team or a representative of the organ
11     procurement organization.
12     (b) The use of amber oscillating, rotating or flashing
13 lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except on:
14         1. Second division vehicles designed and used for
15     towing or hoisting vehicles; furthermore, such lights
16     shall not be lighted except as required in this paragraph
17     1; such lights shall be lighted when such vehicles are
18     actually being used at the scene of an accident or
19     disablement; if the towing vehicle is equipped with a flat
20     bed that supports all wheels of the vehicle being
21     transported, the lights shall not be lighted while the
22     vehicle is engaged in towing on a highway; if the towing
23     vehicle is not equipped with a flat bed that supports all
24     wheels of a vehicle being transported, the lights shall be
25     lighted while the towing vehicle is engaged in towing on a
26     highway during all times when the use of headlights is
27     required under Section 12-201 of this Code;
28         2. Motor vehicles or equipment of the State of
29     Illinois, local authorities and contractors; furthermore,
30     such lights shall not be lighted except while such vehicles
31     are engaged in maintenance or construction operations
32     within the limits of construction projects;
33         3. Vehicles or equipment used by engineering or survey
34     crews; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except
35     while such vehicles are actually engaged in work on a
36     highway;

 

 

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1         4. Vehicles of public utilities, municipalities, or
2     other construction, maintenance or automotive service
3     vehicles except that such lights shall be lighted only as a
4     means for indicating the presence of a vehicular traffic
5     hazard requiring unusual care in approaching, overtaking
6     or passing while such vehicles are engaged in maintenance,
7     service or construction on a highway;
8         5. Oversized vehicle or load; however, such lights
9     shall only be lighted when moving under permit issued by
10     the Department under Section 15-301 of this Code;
11         6. The front and rear of motorized equipment owned and
12     operated by the State of Illinois or any political
13     subdivision thereof, which is designed and used for removal
14     of snow and ice from highways;
15         (6.1) The front and rear of motorized equipment or
16     vehicles that (i) are not owned by the State of Illinois or
17     any political subdivision of the State, (ii) are designed
18     and used for removal of snow and ice from highways and
19     parking lots, and (iii) are equipped with a snow plow that
20     is 12 feet in width; these lights may not be lighted except
21     when the motorized equipment or vehicle is actually being
22     used for those purposes;
23         7. Fleet safety vehicles registered in another state,
24     furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except as
25     provided for in Section 12-212 of this Code;
26         8. Such other vehicles as may be authorized by local
27     authorities;
28         9. Law enforcement vehicles of State or local
29     authorities when used in combination with red oscillating,
30     rotating or flashing lights;
31         9.5. Propane delivery trucks;
32         10. Vehicles used for collecting or delivering mail for
33     the United States Postal Service provided that such lights
34     shall not be lighted except when such vehicles are actually
35     being used for such purposes;
36         11. Any vehicle displaying a slow-moving vehicle

 

 

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1     emblem as provided in Section 12-205.1;
2         12. All trucks equipped with self-compactors or
3     roll-off hoists and roll-on containers for garbage or
4     refuse hauling. Such lights shall not be lighted except
5     when such vehicles are actually being used for such
6     purposes;
7         13. Vehicles used by a security company, alarm
8     responder, or control agency;
9         14. Security vehicles of the Department of Human
10     Services; however, the lights shall not be lighted except
11     when being used for security related purposes under the
12     direction of the superintendent of the facility where the
13     vehicle is located; and
14         15. Vehicles of union representatives, except that the
15     lights shall be lighted only while the vehicle is within
16     the limits of a construction project.
17     (c) The use of blue oscillating, rotating or flashing
18 lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except on:
19         1. Rescue squad vehicles not owned by a fire department
20     and vehicles owned or fully operated by a:
21             voluntary firefighter;
22             paid firefighter;
23             part-paid firefighter;
24             call firefighter;
25             member of the board of trustees of a fire
26         protection district;
27             paid or unpaid member of a rescue squad;
28             paid or unpaid member of a voluntary ambulance
29         unit; or
30             paid or unpaid members of a local or county
31         emergency management services agency as defined in the
32         Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, designated
33         or authorized by local authorities, in writing, and
34         carrying that designation or authorization in the
35         vehicle.
36         However, such lights are not to be lighted except when

 

 

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1     responding to a bona fide emergency.
2         Any person using these lights in accordance with this
3     subdivision (c)1 must carry on his or her person an
4     identification card or letter identifying him or her as a
5     member of a bona fide fire department, fire protection
6     district, rescue squad, ambulance unit, or emergency
7     management services agency. The card or letter must
8     include:
9             (A) the name of the fire department, fire
10         protection district, rescue squad, ambulance unit, or
11         emergency management services agency;
12             (B) the member's position within the fire
13         department, fire protection district, rescue squad,
14         ambulance unit, or emergency management services
15         agency;
16             (C) the member's term of service; and
17             (D) the name of a person within the fire
18         department, fire protection district, rescue squad,
19         ambulance unit, or emergency management services
20         agency to contact to verify the information provided.
21         2. Police department vehicles in cities having a
22     population of 500,000 or more inhabitants.
23         3. Law enforcement vehicles of State or local
24     authorities when used in combination with red oscillating,
25     rotating or flashing lights.
26         4. Vehicles of local fire departments and State or
27     federal firefighting vehicles when used in combination
28     with red oscillating, rotating or flashing lights.
29         5. Vehicles which are designed and used exclusively as
30     ambulances or rescue vehicles when used in combination with
31     red oscillating, rotating or flashing lights; furthermore,
32     such lights shall not be lighted except when responding to
33     an emergency call.
34         6. Vehicles that are equipped and used exclusively as
35     organ transport vehicles when used in combination with red
36     oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights; furthermore,

 

 

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1     these lights shall only be lighted when the transportation
2     is declared an emergency by a member of the transplant team
3     or a representative of the organ procurement organization.
4         7. Vehicles of the Illinois Emergency Management
5     Agency, vehicles of the Illinois Department of Public
6     Health, and vehicles of the Department of Nuclear Safety,
7     when used in combination with red oscillating, rotating, or
8     flashing lights.
9         8. Vehicles operated by a local or county emergency
10     management services agency as defined in the Illinois
11     Emergency Management Agency Act, when used in combination
12     with red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
13     (c-1) In addition to the blue oscillating, rotating, or
14 flashing lights permitted under subsection (c), and
15 notwithstanding subsection (a), a vehicle operated by a
16 voluntary firefighter, a voluntary member of a rescue squad, or
17 a member of a voluntary ambulance unit may be equipped with
18 flashing white headlights and blue grill lights, which may be
19 used only in responding to an emergency call.
20     (c-2) In addition to the blue oscillating, rotating, or
21 flashing lights permitted under subsection (c), and
22 notwithstanding subsection (a), a vehicle operated by a paid or
23 unpaid member of a local or county emergency management
24 services agency as defined in the Illinois Emergency Management
25 Agency Act, may be equipped with white oscillating, rotating,
26 or flashing lights to be used in combination with blue
27 oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights, if authorization by
28 local authorities is in writing and carried in the vehicle.
29     (d) The use of a combination of amber and white
30 oscillating, rotating or flashing lights, whether lighted or
31 unlighted, is prohibited except motor vehicles or equipment of
32 the State of Illinois, local authorities, contractors, and
33 union representatives may be so equipped; furthermore, such
34 lights shall not be lighted on vehicles of the State of
35 Illinois, local authorities, and contractors except while such
36 vehicles are engaged in highway maintenance or construction

 

 

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1 operations within the limits of highway construction projects,
2 and shall not be lighted on the vehicles of union
3 representatives except when those vehicles are within the
4 limits of a construction project.
5     (e) All oscillating, rotating or flashing lights referred
6 to in this Section shall be of sufficient intensity, when
7 illuminated, to be visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight.
8     (f) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit a manufacturer
9 of oscillating, rotating or flashing lights or his
10 representative from temporarily mounting such lights on a
11 vehicle for demonstration purposes only.
12     (g) Any person violating the provisions of subsections (a),
13 (b), (c) or (d) of this Section who without lawful authority
14 stops or detains or attempts to stop or detain another person
15 shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony.
16     (h) Except as provided in subsection (g) above, any person
17 violating the provisions of subsections (a) or (c) of this
18 Section shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
19 (Source: P.A. 92-138, eff. 7-24-01; 92-407, eff. 8-17-01;
20 92-651, eff. 7-11-02; 92-782, eff. 8-6-02; 92-820, eff.
21 8-21-02; 92-872, eff. 6-1-03; 93-181, eff. 1-1-04; 93-725, eff.
22 1-1-05; 93-794, eff. 7-22-04; 93-829, eff. 7-28-04; revised
23 10-22-04.)
 
24     (625 ILCS 5/15-101)  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 15-101)
25     Sec. 15-101. Scope and effect of Chapter 15.
26     (a) It is unlawful for any person to drive or move on, upon
27 or across or for the owner to cause or knowingly permit to be
28 driven or moved on, upon or across any highway any vehicle or
29 vehicles of a size and weight exceeding the limitations stated
30 in this Chapter or otherwise in violation of this Chapter, and
31 the maximum size and weight of vehicles herein specified shall
32 be lawful throughout this State, and local authorities shall
33 have no power or authority to alter such limitations except as
34 express authority may be granted in this Chapter.
35     (b) The provisions of this Chapter governing size, weight

 

 

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1 and load do not apply to fire apparatus or equipment for snow
2 and ice removal operations owned or operated by any
3 governmental body, or to implements of husbandry, as defined in
4 Chapter 1 of this Code, temporarily operated or towed in a
5 combination upon a highway provided such combination does not
6 consist of more than 3 vehicles or, in the case of hauling
7 fresh, perishable fruits or vegetables from farm to the point
8 of first processing, not more than 3 wagons being towed by an
9 implement of husbandry, or to a vehicle operated under the
10 terms of a special permit issued hereunder.
11     (c) The provisions of this Chapter governing size, weight,
12 and load do not apply to any snow and ice removal equipment
13 that is no more than 12 feet in width, if the equipment
14 displays flags at least 18 inches square mounted on the
15 driver's side of the snow plow.
16     These vehicles must be equipped with an illuminated
17 rotating, oscillating, or flashing amber light or lights, or a
18 flashing amber strobe light or lights, mounted on the top of
19 the cab and of sufficient intensity to be visible at 500 feet
20 in normal sunlight. If the load on the transport vehicle blocks
21 the visibility of the amber lighting from the rear of the
22 vehicle, the vehicle must also be equipped with an illuminated
23 rotating, oscillating, or flashing amber light or lights, or a
24 flashing amber strobe light or lights, mounted on the rear of
25 the load and of sufficient intensity to be visible at 500 feet
26 in normal sunlight.
27 (Source: P.A. 92-417, eff. 1-1-02.)