13 AAC 04.095. Flashing yellow vehicular hazard warning lights

(a) Repealed 6/28/79.

(b) Repealed 6/28/79.

(c) The following vehicles must be equipped with a flashing yellow warning light visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight to either the front, rear or sides or from all positions:

(1) a vehicle of the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, a municipality, or a contractor used in highway maintenance, inspection, survey or construction when working upon or within eight feet of a roadway;

(2) a vehicle of a public utility company, when actually engaged in the construction, removal, repair, maintenance or inspection of a public utility facility and when parked or moving slower than the normal traffic flow upon or within eight feet of a roadway;

(3) a motor vehicle engaged in towing a house or a building upon a highway;

(4) a pilot car as provided in 17 AAC 25.090; and

(5) a motor vehicle engaged in snow removal from private property when it moves onto, across or within eight feet of a roadway while removing the snow, or a motor vehicle engaged in snow removal from subdivision streets.

(d) The lights required in this section must be used to warn drivers of other vehicles of the presence of a vehicular traffic hazard requiring the exercise of unusual care in approaching, overtaking or passing the hazard.

(e) After January 1, 1978, every bus, truck, truck-tractor and trailer 80 inches or more in overall width or 30 feet or more in overall length, and every motor vehicle manufactured after January 1, 1978, must be equipped with lights meeting the requirements of (f) of this section.

(f) Vehicular hazard warning lights must be mounted at the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable, except that on vehicles less than 80 inches overall width, only one warning light need be mounted on the rear of the vehicle. The lights must display simultaneously flashing yellow color to the front of the vehicle, except that on vehicles manufactured before January 1, 1969, the light showing to the front may display simultaneously flashing yellow or white color, or any shade of color between yellow and white. The lights displaying warning to the rear of the vehicle must show simultaneously flashing red or yellow color, or any shade of color between red and yellow. The lights authorized by this section must be visible from a distance of not less than 500 feet in normal sunlight.

(g) A tow car must be equipped with a flashing yellow warning light visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight to the front, rear and both sides. The tow car must illuminate the yellow warning light during preparation at the location from which a disabled vehicle is to be towed, and the yellow warning light must be illuminated when the tow car is towing a vehicle at a speed slower than the normal flow of traffic, during the hours of darkness when the towed vehicle does not have taillights illuminated to the rear, or when the taillights, stop lights or turn signals on the tow car are obscured by the towed vehicle. The flashing warning light may not be illuminated except as provided in this section.

(h) A vehicle used for the purpose of mail or other delivery along a highway must illuminate the lights required by this section at least 100 feet, but not more than 500 feet, before making a stop as required in the official performance of the duties of the driver of the vehicle. Display of the lights must continue for as long as the conditions specified in (d) of this section exist. The lights must be visible to the front and rear of the vehicle at a distance of 500 feet in normal sunlight. Further, a mail delivery vehicle must clearly display to the front and to the rear of the vehicle, the words "U.S. MAIL" in letters at least eight inches high on a distinctively contrasting background; other vehicles used in making deliveries along a highway must display the words "DELIVERY VEHICLE" in a like manner.

(i) The lights specified in this section may not be turned on when a vehicle is

(1) parked lawfully in an urban district;

(2) stopped lawfully to avoid conflict with other traffic or to comply with the directions of a police officer, a fireman or an authorized flagman or an official traffic-control device; or

(3) otherwise stopped or driven when there do not exist the conditions specified in (c) of this section.

History: Eff. 12/31/69, Register 31; am 6/28/79, Register 70

Authority: AS 28.05.011

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