Allow MN First Responders the use of Courtesy Lights when responding to an Emergency
Allow MN First Responders the use of Courtesy Lights when responding to an Emergency
The Issue
Change the MN law to allow our First Responders the use of Courtesy Lights.
Current Minnesota law prohibits First Responders like Firefighters and EMS personnel from the use of any form of emergency courtesy lights when on scene or responding to medical and fire related emergencies. In most of our suburb and rural communities in Minnesota, first responders are volunteer based and could be located several miles away from their department's station or first response coverage areas, this creates challenges and delays when responders are attempting to arrive in a timely and safe manner to many different possible forms of life threating events.
Additionally most medical first responders arrive directly on the scene of an incident in their own personal vehicles without the ability to use any form of emergency courtesy lights to protect and alert others, for example during a motor vehicle accident, First Responders are unable to use any lights to help alert traffic while they're attending to someone in need of help. The number 1 cause of deaths and injuries to first responders occur while they are working on the side of the road and attending to the needs of others.
Majority of other states do permit the use of emergency courtesy lights to allow their first responders the ability to protect themselves on scene and "request the right-of-way" from other vehicles when responding to an emergency. The use of courtesy lights do not exempt the first responders from any traffic laws, it's purely a tool to help our life savers request the right-of-way when responding and let them be seen when helping others.
Help us get our Minnesota Law changed to support our First Responders and help them so they can help others sooner. We want the law to be similar to other states. For example; any member of a fire department, volunteer fire company, or volunteer emergency medical services agency may equip one vehicle owned by him/her with no more than two flashing or steady-burning red or red and white combination warning light units
What are Courtesy lights: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtesy_lights
1,911
The Issue
Change the MN law to allow our First Responders the use of Courtesy Lights.
Current Minnesota law prohibits First Responders like Firefighters and EMS personnel from the use of any form of emergency courtesy lights when on scene or responding to medical and fire related emergencies. In most of our suburb and rural communities in Minnesota, first responders are volunteer based and could be located several miles away from their department's station or first response coverage areas, this creates challenges and delays when responders are attempting to arrive in a timely and safe manner to many different possible forms of life threating events.
Additionally most medical first responders arrive directly on the scene of an incident in their own personal vehicles without the ability to use any form of emergency courtesy lights to protect and alert others, for example during a motor vehicle accident, First Responders are unable to use any lights to help alert traffic while they're attending to someone in need of help. The number 1 cause of deaths and injuries to first responders occur while they are working on the side of the road and attending to the needs of others.
Majority of other states do permit the use of emergency courtesy lights to allow their first responders the ability to protect themselves on scene and "request the right-of-way" from other vehicles when responding to an emergency. The use of courtesy lights do not exempt the first responders from any traffic laws, it's purely a tool to help our life savers request the right-of-way when responding and let them be seen when helping others.
Help us get our Minnesota Law changed to support our First Responders and help them so they can help others sooner. We want the law to be similar to other states. For example; any member of a fire department, volunteer fire company, or volunteer emergency medical services agency may equip one vehicle owned by him/her with no more than two flashing or steady-burning red or red and white combination warning light units
What are Courtesy lights: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtesy_lights
1,911
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Petition created on June 19, 2020