Warning Lights And Devices - Lighting Equipment - Vehicle - CA

Section § 25300

This law requires that certain vehicles, like trucks, must always have at least three red emergency reflectors on board. If a vehicle breaks down during the night, these reflectors must be placed at specific distances around the vehicle to warn other drivers. For example, one should be placed 10 feet from the vehicle, and others should be 100 feet or more depending on road conditions like curves or hills.

If the vehicle is just off the road but still close to it, reflectors must be placed to alert other drivers. Temporarily, flares or blinking lights can be used until reflectors are properly set.

Special care is advised not to use flame-producing signals if the broken-down vehicle carries flammable or explosive materials. Instead, reflective triangles or electric lanterns should be used.

The requirements for placing these reflectors don't apply if the vehicle is parked legally within a city or on a road with curbs. Also, vehicles can use an additional emergency sign or banner for safety.

(a) Every vehicle which, if operated during darkness, would be subject to the requirements of Section 25100, and every truck tractor, irrespective of width, shall at all times be equipped with at least three red emergency reflectors. The reflectors need be carried by only one vehicle in a combination.

All reflectors shall be maintained in good working condition.

(b) When the vehicle is disabled on the roadway during darkness, reflectors of the type specified in subdivision (a) shall be immediately placed as follows:

(1) One at the traffic side of the disabled vehicle, not more than 10 feet to the front or rear of the vehicle.

(2) One at a distance of approximately 100 feet to the rear of the disabled vehicle in the center of the traffic lane occupied by the vehicle.

(3) One at a distance of approximately 100 feet to the front of the disabled vehicle in the center of the traffic lane occupied by such vehicle.

(4) If disablement of the vehicle occurs within 500 feet of a curve, crest of a hill, or other obstruction to view, the driver shall so place the reflectors in that direction as to afford ample warning to other users of the highway, but in no case less than 100 nor more than 500 feet from the disabled vehicle.

(5) If disablement of the vehicle occurs upon any roadway of a divided or one-way highway, the driver shall place one reflector at a distance of approximately 200 feet and one reflector at a distance of approximately 100 feet to the rear of the vehicle in the center of the lane occupied by the stopped vehicle, and one reflector at the traffic side of the vehicle not more than 10 feet to the rear of the vehicle.

(c) When the vehicle is disabled or parked off the roadway but within 10 feet thereof during darkness, warning reflectors of the type specified in subdivision (a) shall be immediately placed by the driver as follows: one at a distance of approximately 200 feet and one at a distance of approximately 100 feet to the rear of the vehicle, and one at the traffic side of the vehicle not more than 10 feet to the rear of the vehicle. The reflectors shall, if possible, be placed between the edge of the roadway and the vehicle, but in no event less than two feet to the left of the widest portion of the vehicle or load thereon.

(d)

(1) Until the reflectors required by this section can be placed properly, the requirements of this section may be complied with temporarily either by placing lighted red fusees or liquid-burning flares in the required locations or by using turn signal lamps, but only if front turn signal lamps at each side are being flashed simultaneously and rear turn signal lamps at each side are being flashed simultaneously.

(2) The driver of a commercial motor vehicle equipped with fusees or liquid-burning flares shall place a lighted fusee or liquid-burning flare at each of the locations specified in subdivision (b). There shall be at least one lighted fusee or liquid-burning flare at each of the prescribed locations for as long as the commercial motor vehicle is stopped. Before the stopped commercial vehicle is moved, the driver shall properly extinguish and remove each fusee or liquid-burning flare.

(3) If gasoline or any other flammable or combustible liquid or gas seeps or leaks from a fuel container or commercial motor vehicle stopped upon a highway, an emergency warning signal producing a flame shall not be lighted or placed except at a distance from the liquid or gas as will assure the prevention of a fire or explosion.

(4)

(A) A driver shall not use or permit the use of any flame-producing emergency signal for protecting any of the following:

(i) A commercial vehicle transporting Division 1.1, Division 1.2, or Division 1.3 explosives, as classified by the United States Department of Transportation.

(ii) A cargo tank motor vehicle, whether loaded or empty, used for the transportation of any Class 3 flammable liquid or Division 2.1 flammable gas, as classified by the United States Department of Transportation.

(iii) A commercial motor vehicle using compressed gas as a motor fuel.

(B) In lieu of a flame-producing emergency signal, emergency reflective triangles, red electric lanterns, or red emergency reflectors shall be used, the placement of which shall be in the same manner as prescribed in Section 392.22(b) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(e) The reflectors shall be displayed continuously during darkness while the vehicle remains disabled upon the roadway or parked or disabled within 10 feet thereof.

(f) Subdivisions (b), (c), (d), and (e) do not apply to a vehicle under either of the following circumstances:

(1) Parked in a legal position within the corporate limits of any city.

(2) Parked in a legal position upon a roadway bounded by adjacent curbs.

(g) In addition to the reflectors specified in subdivision (a), an emergency warning sign or banner may be attached to a vehicle which is disabled upon the roadway or which is parked or disabled within 10 feet of a roadway.

emergency reflectors vehicle breakdown nighttime safety ...

Section § 25301

When utility or public utility vehicles are working and parked on the road, they need to have warning devices to alert other drivers. During the day, they must use flags or signs either directly on the vehicle or within 50 feet of it. In higher-speed zones, that distance can be extended to 500 feet. At night, they must use flashing amber lights or other warning lights. If the vehicle already has all-direction flashing lights, no extra warning devices are needed. Using both daytime and nighttime warnings together is allowed whenever preferred.

When utility or public utility vehicles are parked, stopped or standing at the site of work as described in Section 22512, warning devices shall be displayed as follows:

(a) During daylight warning devices shall consist of either:

A warning flag or barricade striping on the front and rear of the vehicle.

A warning flag, sign, or barrier on the highway not more than 50 feet in advance of the vehicle and not more than 50 feet to the rear thereof, except that in zones where the speed limit is in excess of 25 miles per hour the 50-foot distance may be increased up to 500 feet from the vehicle as circumstances may warrant.

(b) During darkness the warning devices shall consist of either:

One or more flashing amber warning lights on the vehicle giving warning to approaching traffic from each direction.

A warning light, flare, fusee, or reflector on the highway not more than 50 feet in advance of the vehicle and not more than 50 feet to the rear thereof, except that in zones where the speed limit is in excess of 25 miles per hour the 50-foot distance may be increased up to 500 feet from the vehicle where circumstances may warrant.

(c) The provisions of subdivision (a) or (b) do not prevent the display of both types of the warning devices during daylight or darkness.

(d) During either daylight or darkness, no warning device is necessary if the vehicle is equipped with the flashing warning lights visible to approaching traffic from each direction as provided in subdivision (b).

utility vehicles public utility vehicles warning devices ...

Section § 25305

This law outlines rules about using lighted fusees (emergency flares) on or near highways. You can only use a fusee to warn traffic or trains about a hazard. It’s illegal to use fusees that emit anything other than a red light, and you can't attach a lit fusee to a vehicle. Railroads have different rules regarding fusees.

(a) No person shall place, deposit, or display upon or adjacent to any highway any lighted fusee, except as a warning to approaching vehicular traffic or railroad trains, or both, of an existing hazard upon or adjacent to the highway or highway-railroad crossing.

(b) It is unlawful to use any fusee which produces other than a red light. The provisions of this subdivision shall not apply to any railroad, as defined in Section 229 of the Public Utilities Code.

lighted fusee emergency flares highway safety ...