Article 7 - Flashing and Colored Lights

California Vehicle Code — §§ 25250-25282

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Sections (49)

Amended by Stats. 1963, Ch. 223.

Flashing lights are prohibited on vehicles except as otherwise permitted.

Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 945, Sec. 23. Effective January 1, 1998.

(a)Flashing lights are permitted on vehicles as follows:
(1)To indicate an intention to turn or move to the right or left upon a roadway, turn signal lamps and turn signal exterior pilot indicator lamps and side lamps permitted under Section 25106 may be flashed on the side of a vehicle toward which the turn or movement is to be made.
(2)When disabled or parked off the roadway but within 10 feet of the

roadway, or when approaching, stopped at, or departing from, a railroad grade crossing, turn signal lamps may be flashed as warning lights if the front turn signal lamps at each side are being flashed simultaneously and the rear turn signal lamps at each side are being flashed simultaneously.

(3)To warn other motorists of accidents or hazards on a roadway, turn signal lamps may be flashed as warning lights while the vehicle is approaching, overtaking, or passing the accident or hazard on the roadway if the front turn signal lamps at each side are being flashed simultaneously and the rear turn signal lamps at each side are being flashed simultaneously.
(4)For use on authorized emergency vehicles.
(5)To warn other motorists of a funeral procession, turn signal lamps may be flashed as warning lights on all vehicles

actually engaged in a funeral procession, if the front turn signal lamps at each side are being flashed simultaneously and the rear turn signal lamps at each side are being flashed simultaneously.

(b)Turn signal lamps shall be flashed as warning lights whenever a vehicle is disabled upon the roadway and the vehicle is equipped with a device to automatically activate the front turn signal lamps at each side to flash simultaneously and the rear turn signal lamps at each side to flash simultaneously, if the device and the turn signal lamps were not rendered inoperative by the event which caused the vehicle to be disabled.
(c)Side lamps permitted under Section 25106 and used in conjunction with turn signal lamps may be flashed with the turn signal lamps as part of the warning light system, as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a).
(d)Required or permitted lamps on a trailer or semitrailer may flash when the trailer or semitrailer has broken away from the towing vehicle and the connection between the vehicles is broken.
(e)Hazard warning lights, as permitted by paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a) may be flashed in a repeating series of short and long flashes when the driver is in need of help.

Added by Stats. 1978, Ch. 252.

Any implement of husbandry displaying a slow moving vehicle emblem, as defined in Section 24615, and being operated at a speed of 25 miles per hour or less, may be equipped with double-faced amber turn signals which may be flashed simultaneously as warning lights.

Added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 35, Sec. 1. Effective March 7, 1980.

Any motorcycle may be equipped with a means of modulating the upper beam of the headlamp between a high and a lower brightness at a rate of 200 to 280 flashes per minute. Such headlamps shall not be so modulated during darkness.

Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 410, Sec. 2.

No civil liability shall attach to any person for the use or nonuse of turn signal lamps in the manner permitted by paragraph (3) or (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 25251, except for such civil liability as would attach for the use or nonuse of any other device required by this article or Article 8 (commencing with Section 25300).

Added by Stats. 1977, Ch. 993.

Any motor vehicle may also be equipped with a theft alarm system which flashes any of the lights required or permitted on the motor vehicle and which operates as specified in Article 13 (commencing with Section 28085) of Chapter 5 of this division.

Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 410, Sec. 3.

(a)Any motor vehicle may also be equipped with a system in which an amber light is center mounted on the rear of a vehicle to communicate a component of deceleration of the vehicle, and which light pulses in a controlled fashion at a rate which varies exponentially with a component of deceleration.
(b)Any motor vehicle may be equipped with two amber lamps on the rear of the vehicle which operate simultaneously with not more than four flashes within four seconds after the accelerator pedal is in the deceleration position and which are not lighted at any other time.

The lamps shall be mounted at the same height, with one lamp located on each side of the vertical centerline of the vehicle, not higher than the bottom of the rear window, or if the vehicle has no rear window, not higher than 60 inches. The light output from each of the lamps shall not exceed 200 candlepower at any angle horizontal or above. The amber lamps may be used either separately or in combination with another lamp.

(c)Any stoplamp or supplemental stoplamp required or permitted by Section 24603 may be equipped so as to flash not more than four times within the first four seconds after actuation by application of the brakes.

Amended by Stats. 1974, Ch. 635.

Every authorized emergency vehicle shall be equipped with at least one steady burning red warning lamp visible from at least 1,000 feet to the front of the vehicle to be used as provided in this code.

In addition, authorized emergency vehicles may display revolving, flashing, or steady red warning lights to the front, sides or rear of the vehicles.

Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 1017, Sec. 4.

(a)Every authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with a system which flashes the upper-beam headlamps of the vehicle with the flashes occurring alternately from the front headlamp on one side of the vehicle to the front headlamp on the other side of the vehicle. The flashing of the headlamps shall consist only of upper-beam flashing, and not the flashing of any other light beam.
(b)“Upper-beam headlamp,” as used in this section, means a headlamp or that part of a headlamp which projects a distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed and of such

intensity as to reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of at least 350 feet ahead for all conditions of loading.

(c)The system provided for in subdivision (a) shall only be used when an authorized emergency vehicle is being operated pursuant to Section 21055.

Amended (as amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 375, Sec. 3) by Stats. 2009, Ch. 33, Sec. 2. (SB 159) Effective January 1, 2010.

(a)Tow trucks used to tow disabled vehicles shall be equipped with flashing amber warning lamps. This subdivision does not apply to a tractor-trailer combination.
(b)Tow trucks may display flashing amber warning lamps while providing service to a disabled vehicle. A flashing amber warning lamp upon a tow truck may be displayed to the rear

when the tow truck is towing a vehicle and moving at a speed slower than the normal flow of traffic.

(c)A tow truck shall not display flashing amber warning lamps on a freeway except when an unusual traffic hazard or extreme hazard exists.

Added by Stats. 1985, Ch. 710, Sec. 4.

An automobile dismantler’s tow vehicle used to tow a disabled vehicle may be equipped with flashing amber warning lamps.

A flashing amber warning lamp upon an automobile dismantler’s tow vehicle may be displayed to the rear when the automobile dismantler’s tow vehicle is towing a vehicle and moving at a speed slower than the normal flow of traffic.

Amended by Stats. 1967, Ch. 544.

Vehicles used by highway authorities or bridge and highway districts, and vehicles of duly authorized representatives thereof, used in highway maintenance, inspection, survey or construction work may display flashing amber warning lights to the front, sides or rear when such vehicles are parked or working on the highway.

Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 624, Sec. 7. Effective September 14, 1992.

(a)Every schoolbus, when operated for the transportation of schoolchildren, shall be equipped with a flashing red light signal system.
(b)(1) Every schoolbus manufactured on or after September 1, 1992, shall also be equipped with a stop signal arm. Any schoolbus manufactured before September 1, 1992, may be equipped with a stop signal arm.
(2)Any schoolbus manufactured on or after July

1, 1993, shall also be equipped with an amber warning light system, in addition to the flashing red light signal system. Any schoolbus manufactured before July 1, 1993, may be equipped with an amber warning light system.

(3)On or before September 1, 1992, the department shall adopt regulations governing the specifications, installation, and use of stop signal arms, to comply with federal standards.
(4)A “stop signal arm” is a device that can be extended outward from the side of a schoolbus to provide a signal to other motorists not to pass the bus because it has stopped to load or unload passengers, that is manufactured pursuant to the specifications of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 131, issued on April 25, 1991.

Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 624, Sec. 8. Effective September 14, 1992.

If a schoolbus is used for the transportation of persons of any age who are developmentally disabled, as defined by the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act (Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 4500) of the Welfare and Institutions Code), the amber light signal system, flashing red light signal system, and stop signal arm shall not be used other than as required by Sections 22112 and 22454.

Added by Stats. 1984, Ch. 127, Sec. 1.

To warn other motorists or pedestrians on a roadway during a backing maneuver, the operator of a schoolbus may flash turn signal lamps if the front turn signal lamps at each side are flashed simultaneously and the rear signal lamps at each side are flashed simultaneously.

Added by Stats. 1990, Ch. 169, Sec. 1. Effective June 22, 1990.

(a)A schoolbus may be equipped with a white strobe light mounted so as to be visible from the front, sides, or rear of the bus. The strobe light may only be lighted when visibility is reduced to 500 feet or less due to atmospheric conditions including, but not limited to, fog, rain, snow, smoke, or dust. Reduced visibility due to atmospheric conditions does not include the time of darkness from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise.
(b)The type and mounting requirements of strobe lights authorized by subdivision (a)

shall be established by regulations adopted by the department by April 1, 1991. No schoolbus shall be equipped with a strobe light until the regulations are adopted.

Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 92, Sec. 211. (SB 1289) Effective January 1, 2019.

(a)An authorized emergency vehicle operating under the conditions specified in Section 21055 may display a flashing white light from a gaseous discharge lamp designed and used for the purpose of controlling official traffic control signals.
(b)(1) An authorized emergency vehicle used by a peace officer, as defined in Section 830.1 of, subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), or (i) of Section 830.2 of, subdivision (n) of Section 830.3 of, subdivision (b) of Section 830.31 of, subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 830.32 of, Section 830.33 of, subdivision (a) of Section 830.36 of, subdivision (a) of Section 830.4 of, or Section 830.6 of, or a probation officer, as defined in Section 830.5 of, the Penal Code, in the performance of the peace

officer’s duties, may, in addition, display a steady or flashing blue warning light visible from the front, sides, or rear of the vehicle.

(2)Before a probation officer operates an emergency vehicle with a blue warning light, the officer shall complete a four-hour classroom training course regarding the operation of emergency vehicles that is certified by the Standards and Training for Corrections Division of the Board of State and Community Corrections.
(3)This subdivision does not expand any existing authority of a probation officer to conduct a high-speed vehicle pursuit, nor does it change any existing training requirements for high-speed vehicle pursuits.
(c)Except as provided in subdivision (a), a vehicle shall not be equipped with a device that emits any illumination or radiation that is designed or used

for the purpose of controlling official traffic control signals.

Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 945, Sec. 25. Effective January 1, 1998.

(a)Any authorized emergency vehicle may display flashing amber warning lights to the front, sides, or rear.
(b)A vehicle operated by a police or traffic officer while in the actual performance of his or her duties may display steady burning or flashing white lights to either side mounted above the roofline of the vehicle.
(c)Any authorized emergency vehicle may display not more than two flashing white

warning lights to the front mounted above the roofline of the vehicle and not more than two flashing white warning lights to the front mounted below the roofline of the vehicle. These lamps may be in addition to the flashing headlamps permitted under Section 25252.5.

Added by Stats. 1997, Ch. 144, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1998.

(a)Any vehicle operated by a disaster service worker who has received training in accordance with subdivision (b) and used by that worker in the performance of emergency or disaster services ordered by lawful authority during a state of war emergency, a state of emergency, or a local emergency, as those terms are defined in Section 8558 of the Government Code, may display flashing amber warning lights to the front, sides, or rear while at the scene of the emergency or disaster.
(b)Any disaster service worker operating a vehicle that displays flashing amber warning lights shall receive a training course from the public agency, disaster council, or emergency organization described in Section 3101 of the Government Code concerning the safe operation of the use of flashing amber warning lights prior to operating a vehicle that displays flashing amber warning lights.
(c)A person operating a vehicle that is authorized to display flashing amber warning lights under this section shall either completely cover or remove those lights when the lights are not in use.

Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 144, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1998.

An emergency response or disaster service vehicle owned or leased and operated by the American National Red Cross, or any chapter or branch thereof, and equipped and clearly marked as a Red Cross emergency service or disaster service vehicle, may display flashing amber warning lights to the front, sides, or rear of the vehicle while at the scene of an emergency or disaster operation. Vehicles not used on emergency response shall not be included.

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