Senate File 263 - Introduced




                                 SENATE FILE       
                                 BY  SCHNEIDER and WHITVER

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to the operation of a rescue vehicle when
  2    responding to an emergency.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
    TLSB 1941XS (3) 86
    ns/nh

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 321.231, subsections 3 and 4, Code 2015,
  1  2 are amended to read as follows:
  1  3    3.  The driver of a fire department vehicle, police vehicle,
  1  4 rescue vehicle, or ambulance, or a peace officer riding a
  1  5 police bicycle in the line of duty may do any of the following:
  1  6    a.  Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only
  1  7 after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation.
  1  8    b.  Exceed the maximum speed limits so long as the driver
  1  9 does not endanger life or property.
  1 10    4.  The exemptions granted to an authorized emergency
  1 11 vehicle under subsection 2 and for a fire department vehicle,
  1 12 police vehicle, rescue vehicle, or ambulance as provided in
  1 13 subsection 3 shall apply only when such vehicle is making use
  1 14 of an audible signaling device meeting the requirements of
  1 15 section 321.433 or a visual signaling device, except that use
  1 16 of an audible or visual signaling device shall not be required
  1 17 when exercising the exemption granted under subsection 3,
  1 18 paragraph "b" of this section when the vehicle is operated by
  1 19 a peace officer, pursuing a suspected violator of the speed
  1 20 restrictions imposed by or pursuant to this chapter, for the
  1 21 purpose of determining the speed of travel of such suspected
  1 22 violator.
  1 23                           EXPLANATION
  1 24 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
  1 25 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly.
  1 26    Under current law, the driver of an authorized emergency
  1 27 vehicle may exercise driving privileges relating to parking
  1 28 and directional signs when responding to an emergency call.
  1 29 Certain types of authorized emergency vehicles including fire
  1 30 department vehicles, police vehicles, and ambulances, as well
  1 31 as peace officers riding on police bicycles, may proceed past
  1 32 red stop signals or stop signs and exceed speed limits while
  1 33 exercising necessary safety precautions and using an audible
  1 34 or visual signal.  This bill includes rescue vehicles in that
  1 35 category of authorized emergency vehicles that may ignore red
  2  1 stop signals or stop signs and exceed speed limits in emergency
  2  2 situations.  A "rescue vehicle" is a motor vehicle which is
  2  3 equipped with rescue, fire, or life support equipment used to
  2  4 assist and rescue persons in emergencies or support emergency
  2  5 personnel in the performance of their duties.
       LSB 1941XS (3) 86
       ns/nh