It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 31-24-31 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-24 entitled "Lighting Equipment and Reflectors" is hereby amended to read as follows:
31-24-31. Flashing lights -- Forward viewing or rotary beam lights. -- (a) Flashing lights are prohibited, except on an authorized emergency vehicle, school bus, snow removal equipment, or on any vehicle as a means for indicating a right or left turn, provided, however, that the requirements of section 31-24-33 shall be deemed to be satisfied if the vehicle is equipped with lamps at the front mounted at the same level, displaying simultaneously flashing white or amber lights, and at the rear mounted at the same level, and displaying simultaneously flashing red lights, all of which lights shall be visible from a distance of not less than five hundred feet (500').
(b) Forward viewing or rotating beam lights may be installed on and shall be restricted to the following categories of emergency vehicles; said lights shall be of color designated:
(1) Fire apparatus, ambulances, fire chiefs and assistant
fire chiefs, civil defense directors, assistant civil defense
directors, assistant medical examiners and/or forensic
pathologists of the office of state medical examiners, rescue
vehicles emergency response vehicles of the department of
environmental management ,and school buses : {ADD and two
(2) American Red Cross disaster vehicles, ADD} red;
(2) Wrecker trucks, service station trucks, state and town safety and maintenance vehicles, snowplows and tractors, light company trucks, telephone company trucks, water company trucks, oil company trucks and other utilities' trucks; vehicles of television, radio and press photographers, rural mail carriers, and all motor-propelled vehicles owned by the Northern Rhode Island react (radio emergency associated citizens team) and all motor-propelled vehicles owned by or under contract to the Rhode Island department of transportation when on official state business: Amber;
(3) Police units, state and local: center rotating beam lights -- blue or red; outboard mounted lights -- blue or red.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
