# Michigan laws on warning lights!



## High Voltage

Here is a link frome the State of Michigan's website. It's a PDF.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/aftermarket_lighting_8570_7.pdf ussmileyflag


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## TLB

Great find. I have seen a few people who plow with headlight strobes, a no no in Michigan , only amber warning lights is allowed:salute:


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## tom_mccauley

TLB;633309 said:


> Great find. *I have seen a few people who plow with headlight strobes*, a no no in Michigan , only amber warning lights is allowed:salute:


That all depends on what local law enforcement is willing to tolerate. I run blue end caps on my jetsonics with the blessing of local law enforcement! (although I don't think I would go anywhere else with them on!)


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## Mark Oomkes

Well, to be like the monkeys and throw poop, sort of interesting that the latest NFPA requirements for fire apparatus REQUIRE flashing amber lights on the rear of the apparatus. 

I see the date is 6/99, sure there haven't been any updates?


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## bharry20

Mark Oomkes;633333 said:


> Well, to be like the monkeys and throw poop, sort of interesting that the latest NFPA requirements for fire apparatus REQUIRE flashing amber lights on the rear of the apparatus.
> 
> I see the date is 6/99, sure there haven't been any updates?


they only require 1 amber light on the rear. that also says "Michigan Department of State Police • Traffic Services Section" too!

one thing I have found with this state is one hand doesn't know what the other is doing, and one persons judgement call is totally different than the next person's, all the way down the line. whether it be the state, county, or any other part of goverment, it will always be about the dollar!!payup


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## High Voltage

My question is: 
If I want to have strobes in the front headlight and back tail lights, would it be OK to use amber strobes? 

Before I posted that link I stopped at the local PD and the officer just said as far as he knows "only allowed to use amber lights". I asked him about the amber strobes and he kinda said as long as they are amber I don't see why not.


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## tom_mccauley

High Voltage;633357 said:


> My question is:
> If I want to have strobes in the front headlight and back tail lights, would it be OK to use amber strobes?
> 
> Before I posted that link I stopped at the local PD and the officer just said as far as he knows "only allowed to use amber lights". I asked him about the amber strobes and he kinda said as long as they are amber I don't see why not.


As long as they are amber, you will be good, Providing they don't "wig-wag" as those are for law enforcement/Fire only.


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## High Voltage

tom_mccauley;633365 said:


> As long as they are amber, you will be good, Providing they don't "wig-wag" as those are for law enforcement/Fire only.


What is wig-wag? This is the product am am thinking of getting.

http://www.sirennet.com/led-haw-builder.html


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## tom_mccauley

"wig-wags" allow your headlights to alternately flash back & forth from drivers side to passenger side. you should be ok with those so long as they are amber, and do not look white, Could cause problems if you run in to a cop with heavy badge syndrome!


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## bharry20

High Voltage;633388 said:


> What is wig-wag? This is the product am am thinking of getting.


that will work. get the amber bulbs and mount the in the corner marker lights in front, and in the reverse light in the rear. that way you should be fine. wig wags are about the only effective thing in head lights, if you go with that kit and place them in the headlights they will be useless at night.


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## lawnmasters2006

ive been stopped an ticketed for having strobe light on, on top of my truck ..went to court they through it out...


yes i was on the road.....i just told the judge that i thought it was safer to run w them on because of limited sight distance an i had a salter on board an a big plow in front...lets people see that u have a plow on....much much safer if u ask me......by the way tickit cost was 175.00....would of paid it any ways ..the state need our money...lmao


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## lawnmasters2006

tom_mccauley;633395 said:


> "wig-wags" allow your headlights to alternately flash back & forth from drivers side to passenger side. you should be ok with those so long as they are amber, and do not look white, Could cause problems if you run in to a cop with heavy badge syndrome!


tom do u ever need a back up truck? or help im in your area..i live in athens....just a thought


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## Mark Oomkes

bharry20;633345 said:


> they only require 1 amber light on the rear. that also says "Michigan Department of State Police • Traffic Services Section" too!
> 
> one thing I have found with this state is one hand doesn't know what the other is doing, and one persons judgement call is totally different than the next person's, all the way down the line. whether it be the state, county, or any other part of goverment, it will always be about the dollar!!payup


Doesn't really matter, 1 or 20, according to that law, fire apparatus are not allowed to have amber. But NFPA requires them. Stupid thing is, NFPA really doesn't have any authority, but if you don't follow their recommendations and something bad happens, better watch out if 1-800-CALL-SAM finds out, because there's going to be a lot of poop flying.


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## tom_mccauley

lawnmasters2006;633468 said:


> tom do u ever need a back up truck? or help im in your area..i live in athens....just a thought


PM sentussmileyflag


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## Mike - Tac 2

As a former law enforcement officer and current public safety equipment provider, here are some things to consider:

FACT:
NFPA are guidelines and not laws and do not overrule state law. Fire, EMS, and Police vehicles are prohibited from having amber warning lights according to the law in Michigan.

Wig-Wag lights are not restricted to law enforcement. Any approved emergency vehicle may run white in conjunction with their approved emergency colors.

Amber lights are permitted for snow removal vehicles. Doesn't matter if they wig-wag or not or where they are mounted as long as they are visible 360 degrees at 500'.

In my area, the state police have been stopping plow divers for NOT having warning lights, which is a surprise to me. Even private plows not for hire.

As long as your not using inappropriate colors in inappropriate areas you should be fine. There are of course some officers that have nothing better to do.

Remember that violation of the Michigan law 257.698 is a Misdemeanor.


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## bharry20

Mark Oomkes;634280 said:


> But NFPA requires them. Stupid thing is, NFPA really doesn't have any authority, but if you don't follow their recommendations and something bad happens, better watch out if 1-800-CALL-SAM finds out, because there's going to be a lot of poop flying.





Mike - Tac 2;634548 said:


> As a former law enforcement officer and current public safety equipment provider, here are some things to consider:
> 
> FACT:
> NFPA are guidelines and not laws and do not overrule state law. Fire, EMS, and Police vehicles are prohibited from having amber warning lights according to the law in Michigan.


my point exactly!! in this state you are cooked no matter what you do!!! God Bless the USA ussmileyflag


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## groundbreakers

Mike - Tac 2;634548 said:


> As a former law enforcement officer and current public safety equipment provider, here are some things to consider:
> 
> FACT:
> NFPA are guidelines and not laws and do not overrule state law. Fire, EMS, and Police vehicles are prohibited from having amber warning lights according to the law in Michigan.
> 
> Wig-Wag lights are not restricted to law enforcement. Any approved emergency vehicle may run white in conjunction with their approved emergency colors.
> 
> Amber lights are permitted for snow removal vehicles. Doesn't matter if they wig-wag or not or where they are mounted as long as they are visible 360 degrees at 500'.
> 
> In my area, the state police have been stopping plow divers for NOT having warning lights, which is a surprise to me. Even private plows not for hire.
> 
> As long as your not using inappropriate colors in inappropriate areas you should be fine. There are of course some officers that have nothing better to do.
> 
> Remember that violation of the Michigan law 257.698 is a Misdemeanor.


boy oh boy and all this time i thought you could run RED and BLUE to snow plow with ... well i guess i was wrong .. LOL comon poeple every winter you see the same thing yellow flashing light on snow plows ... not hard to figure out what the warning light color trend is ... sorry just my .002


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## JK-Plow

I don't know what Michigan you guys are from, but the Michigan Motor Vehicle code allows police, fire and ambulances to have amber flashing lights. Also all three are allowed flashing red and white lights, only publicly owned police cars are allowed to use blue lights. At least that is what all my motor vehicle code books have said since 1975. And the last time I looked at the update book, it still said the same thing. Green is the one color that I still have not been able to find in the book..From what I understand, in Michigan the emergency vehicle that is the incident command vehicle is the only one allowed to use green. A number of landscape and plow companies in SouthEast Michigan got in trouble for having green and had to change. By the way, it says snow plow vehicle are to have amber lights, but white has also been mentioned as being allowed. Some of the county trucks in Midland County I have seen run with white lights.


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## Mike - Tac 2

JK-Plow;635965 said:


> I don't know what Michigan you guys are from, but the Michigan Motor Vehicle code allows police, fire and ambulances to have amber flashing lights. Also all three are allowed flashing red and white lights, only publicly owned police cars are allowed to use blue lights. At least that is what all my motor vehicle code books have said since 1975. And the last time I looked at the update book, it still said the same thing. Green is the one color that I still have not been able to find in the book..From what I understand, in Michigan the emergency vehicle that is the incident command vehicle is the only one allowed to use green. A number of landscape and plow companies in SouthEast Michigan got in trouble for having green and had to change. By the way, it says snow plow vehicle are to have amber lights, but white has also been mentioned as being allowed. Some of the county trucks in Midland County I have seen run with white lights.


If you can find the section that allows police, fire, or EMS vehicles that allows them to use AMBER lights, exclusively; I will send you $50.00. (The section for spill cleanup or response does not count)

he use or possession of flashing, oscillating, or rotating lights of _any color is prohibited_ except as otherwise provided by law, or under the following circumstances:

(a) A police vehicle shall be equipped with flashing, rotating, or oscillating red or blue lights, for use in the performance of police duties.

(b) A fire vehicle or ambulance available for public use or for use of the United States, the state, or any unit of the state, whether publicly or privately owned, shall be equipped with flashing, rotating, or oscillating red lights and used as required for safety.

(c) An authorized emergency vehicle as defined in section 2 may be equipped with flashing, rotating, or oscillating red lights for use when responding to an emergency call if when in use the flashing, rotating, or oscillating red lights are mounted on the roof section of the vehicle, either as a permanent installation or by means of suction cups or magnets and are clearly visible in a 360 degree arc from a distance of 500 feet when in use. A person operating lights under this subdivision at any time other than when responding to an emergency call is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(d) Flashing, rotating, or oscillating amber lights, placed in a position as to be visible throughout an arc of 360 degrees, shall be used by a state, county, or municipal vehicle engaged in the removal of ice, snow, or other material from the highway and in other operations designed to control ice and snow.

(e) A vehicle used for the cleanup of spills or a necessary emergency response action taken pursuant to state or federal law or a vehicle operated by an employee of the department of natural resources that responds to a spill, emergency response action, complaint, or compliance activity may be equipped with flashing, rotating, or oscillating amber lights. Such lights shall not be activated unless the vehicle is at the scene of a spill, emergency response action, complaint, or compliance activity.

(f) A vehicle to perform public utility service, a vehicle owned or leased by and licensed as a business for use in the collection and hauling of refuse, an automobile service car or wrecker, a vehicle engaged in authorized highway repair or maintenance, a vehicle of a peace officer, a vehicle operated by a rural letter carrier or a person under contract to deliver newspapers or other publications by motor route, a vehicle utilized for snow removal, a private security guard vehicle as authorized in subsection (7), a motor vehicle while engaged in escorting or transporting an oversize load that has been issued a permit by the state transportation department or a local authority with respect to highways under its jurisdiction, a vehicle owned by the national guard or a United States military vehicle while traveling under the appropriate recognized military authority, a motor vehicle while towing an implement of husbandry, or an implement of husbandry may be equipped with flashing, rotating, or oscillating amber lights. However, a wrecker may be equipped with flashing, rotating, or oscillating red lights which shall be activated only when the wrecker is engaged in removing or assisting a vehicle at the scene of a traffic accident or disablement. The flashing, rotating, or oscillating amber lights shall not be activated except in those circumstances that the warning produced by the lights is required for public safety.

(g) A vehicle engaged in leading or escorting a funeral procession or any vehicle that is part of a funeral procession may be equipped with flashing, rotating, or oscillating purple or amber lights which shall not be activated except during a funeral procession.

(h) An authorized emergency vehicle may display flashing, rotating, or oscillating white lights in conjunction with an authorized emergency light as prescribed in this section.

(i) A private motor vehicle of a physician responding to an emergency call may be equipped with and the physician may use flashing, rotating, or oscillating red lights mounted on the roof section of the vehicle either as a permanent installation or by means of magnets or suction cups and clearly visible in a 360 degree arc from a distance of 500 feet when in use. The physician shall first obtain written authorization from the county sheriff.

(j) A public transit vehicle may be equipped with a flashing, oscillating, or rotating light mounted on the roof of the vehicle approximately 6 feet from the rear of the vehicle which displays a white light to the front, side, and rear of the vehicle, which light may be actuated by the driver for use only in inclement weather such as fog, rain, or snow, when boarding or discharging passengers, from 1/2 hour before sunset until 1/2 hour after sunrise, or where conditions hinder the visibility of the public transit vehicle. As used in this subdivision, "public transit vehicle" means a motor vehicle, other than a station wagon or passenger van, with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds.

(k) A person engaged in the manufacture, sale, or repair of flashing, rotating, or oscillating lights governed by this subsection may possess the lights for the purpose of employment, but shall not activate the lights upon the highway unless authorized to do so under subsection (6).

(6) A person shall not sell, loan, or otherwise furnish a flashing, rotating, or oscillating blue or red light designed primarily for installation on an authorized emergency vehicle to a person except a police officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff, authorized physician, volunteer or paid fire fighter, volunteer ambulance driver, licensed ambulance driver or attendant of the state, a county or municipality within the state, a person engaged in the business of operating an ambulance or wrecker service, or a federally recognized nonprofit charitable organization which owns and operates an emergency support vehicle used exclusively for emergencies. This subsection does not prohibit an authorized vehicle, equipped with flashing, rotating, or oscillating blue or red lights, from being operated by a person other than a person described in this section if the person receives authorization to operate the emergency vehicle from a police officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff, authorized physician, volunteer or paid fire fighter, volunteer ambulance driver, licensed ambulance driver or attendant, a person operating an ambulance or wrecker service, or a federally recognized nonprofit charitable organization which owns and operates an emergency support vehicle used exclusively for emergencies, except that the authorization shall not permit the person to operate lights as described in subsection (5)(a), (b), (c), (i), or (j), or to exercise the privileges described in section 603. A person who operates an authorized emergency vehicle in violation of the terms of an authorization is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(7) A private motor vehicle of a security guard agency or alarm company licensed pursuant to the private security guard act of 1968, 1968 PA 330, MCL 338.1051 to 338.1085, may display flashing, rotating, or oscillating amber lights. The flashing, rotating, or oscillating amber lights shall not be activated on a public highway when a vehicle is in motion.

(8) This section shall not be construed to prohibit, restrict, or limit the use of lights authorized or required under sections 697, 697a, and 698a.

(9) A person who violates subsection (1), (2), (3), or (4) is responsible for a civil infraction.

Green, according to the law, is prohibited.


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