1.Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
a.“Emergency medical care provider” means as defined in section 147A.1.
b.“Fire department” means a paid or volunteer fire protection service provided by a
benefited fire district under chapter 357B or by a county, municipality or township, or a
private corporate organization that has a valid contract to provide fire protection service for
a benefited fire district, county, municipality, township or governmental agency.
c.“Member” means a person who is a member in good standing of a fire department or
a person who is an emergency medical care provider employed by an ambulance, rescue, or
first response service.
2.Prohibited lights. A flashing light on or in a motor vehicle is prohibited except as
follows:
a
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1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
a. “Emergency medical care provider” means as defined in section 147A.1.
b. “Fire department” means a paid or volunteer fire protection service provided by a
benefited fire district under chapter 357B or by a county, municipality or township, or a
private corporate organization that has a valid contract to provide fire protection service for
a benefited fire district, county, municipality, township or governmental agency.
c. “Member” means a person who is a member in good standing of a fire department or
a person who is an emergency medical care provider employed by an ambulance, rescue, or
first response service.
2. Prohibited lights. A flashing light on or in a motor vehicle is prohibited except as
follows:
a. On an authorized emergency vehicle.
b. On a vehicle as a means of indicating a right or left turn, a mechanical failure, or an
emergency stop or intent to stop.
c. On a motor vehicle used by a rural mail carrier when stopping or stopped on or near a
highway in the process of delivering mail, if such a light is any shade of color between white
and amber and if it is mounted as a dome light on the roof of the vehicle.
d. On a vehicle being operated under an excess size permit issued under chapter 321E.
e. A flashing blue light on a vehicle upon which a blue light is permitted pursuant to
subsection 3 of this section.
f. A flashing white light, including a flashing headlamp, is permitted on a vehicle pursuant
to subsection 7.
g. Flashing red and amber warning lights on a school bus as described in section 321.372,
andawhiteflashingstrobelightmountedonaschoolbusaspermittedundersection321.373,
subsection 7.
h. A flashing amber light is permitted on a towing or recovery vehicle, a utility
maintenance vehicle, a municipal maintenance vehicle, a highway maintenance vehicle,
a construction vehicle, a solid waste or recycling collection service vehicle, or a vehicle
operated in accordance with subsection 6 or section 321.398 or 321.453.
i. Modulating headlamps in conformance with 49 C.F.R. §571.108 S7.9.4. are permitted
on a motorcycle.
j. On a vehicle being operated as an escort vehicle for a funeral procession as provided in
section 321.324A.
3. Blue light.
a. A blue light shall not be used on any vehicle except for the following:
(1) A vehicle owned or exclusively operated by a fire department.
(2) A vehicle authorized by the chief of the fire department if the vehicle is owned by a
memberofthefiredepartment, therequestforauthorizationismadebythememberonforms
provided by the department, necessity for authorization is demonstrated in the request, and
the member has received emergency vehicle operations training.
(3) A vehicle authorized by the chief officer of an emergency medical services agency, if
the vehicle is owned by a member of the emergency medical services agency, the request for
authorization is made by the member on forms provided by the department, and necessity
for authorization to respond to an emergency call or fire alarm under section 321.231C is
demonstrated in the request.
(4) An authorized emergency vehicle, other than a vehicle described in paragraph “a”,
subparagraph (1) or (2).
(5) A motor truck, trailer, tractor, truck-mounted snow blower, or motor grader owned
by the state or any political subdivision of the state, including any local authority, if the blue
lightisrear-facingandusedinconjunctionwithamberandwhitelightingdevicesorreflectors
while the equipment is being used for snow and ice treatment or removal on the public streets
or highways.
b. A person shall not use only a blue light on a vehicle unless the vehicle meets the
requirements of paragraph “a”, subparagraph (1), (2), or (3).
4. Expiration of authority. The authorization shall expire at midnight on the thirty-first
day of December five years from the year in which it was issued, or when the vehicle is
no longer owned by the member, or when the member has ceased to be an active member
of the fire department or of an ambulance, rescue, or first response service, or when the
member has used the blue or white light beyond the scope of its authorized use. A person
issued an authorization under subsection 3, paragraph “a”, subparagraph (2), shall return the
authorization to the fire chief upon expiration or upon a determination by the fire chief or the
department that the authorization should be revoked.
5. When used. The certificate of authorization shall be carried at all times with the
certificate of registration of the authorized vehicle and the operator of the vehicle shall not
illuminate the blue or white light except in any of the following circumstances:
a. When the member is en route to the scene of a fire or is responding to an emergency
in the line of duty requiring the services of the member.
b. When the authorized vehicle is transporting a person requiring emergency care.
c. When the authorized vehicle is at the scene of an emergency.
d. The use of the blue or white light in or on a private motor vehicle shall be for
identification purposes only.
6. Amber flashing light. A farm tractor, farm tractor with towed equipment,
self-propelled implement of husbandry, road construction or maintenance vehicle, road
grader, or other vehicle principally designed for use off the highway which, when operated
on a primary or secondary road, is operated at a speed of thirty-five miles per hour or less,
shall be equipped with and display an amber flashing light visible from the rear at any time
from sunset to sunrise. If the amber flashing light is obstructed by the towed equipment, the
towed equipment shall also be equipped with and display an amber flashing light as required
under this subsection. All vehicles specified in this subsection which are manufactured for
sale or sold in this state shall be equipped with an amber flashing light in accordance with
the standards of the American society of agricultural engineers.
7. Flashing white light.
a. Except as provided in section 321.373, subsection 7, and subsection 2, paragraphs “c”
and “i” of this section, a flashing white light shall only be used on a vehicle in the following
circumstances:
(1) On a vehicle owned or exclusively operated by an ambulance, rescue, or first response
service.
(2) On a vehicle authorized by the director of health and human services when all of the
following apply:
(a) The vehicle is owned by a member of an ambulance, rescue, or first response service.
(b) The request for authorization is made by the member on forms provided by the
department of health and human services.
(c) Necessity for authorization is demonstrated in the request.
(d) The head of an ambulance, rescue, or first response service certifies that the member
is in good standing and recommends that the authorization be granted.
(3) On an authorized emergency vehicle.
(4) On a motor truck, trailer, tractor, truck-mounted snow blower, or motor grader owned
by the state or any political subdivision of the state, including any local authority, if the white
light is rear-facing and used in conjunction with amber and blue lighting devices or reflectors
while the equipment is being used for snow and ice treatment or removal on the public streets
or highways.
(5) On a motor truck or trailer owned and operated by the department equipped with an
impact attenuator and audible warning system, if the flashing white light is rear-facing on
the audible warning system and used in conjunction with amber lighting devices or reflectors
while the motor truck or trailer is being used for slow-moving maintenance operations.
(6) On a vehicle or other equipment not owned and operated by the department when
used in road work zones on state or local highways as authorized by the department. The
department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A regarding the vehicles or equipment
eligible to use a flashing white light under this subparagraph.
b. The department of health and human services shall adopt rules to establish issuance
standards, including allowing local emergency medical service providers to issue certificates
of authorization, and shall adopt rules to establish certificate of authorization revocation
procedures.