An Act To Allow Media Motor Vehicles To Be Equipped with Amber Auxiliary Lights
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0327
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: JACKSON, THERIAULT, MAZUREK, SAUCIER
Amends: 29-A MRSA §2054

Legislative Document 
No. 327 
S.P. 123 
In Senate, February 12, 2013 
An Act To Allow Media Motor Vehicles To Be Equipped with 
Amber Auxiliary Lights 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator JACKSON of Aroostook. 
Cosponsored by Representative THERIAULT of Madawaska and 
Senator: MAZUREK of Knox, Representative: SAUCIER of Presque Isle. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  29-A MRSA §2054, sub-§2, ¶C, as amended by PL 2011, c. 448, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
C.  The use of amber lights on vehicles is governed by the following. 
(1)  A vehicle engaged in highway maintenance or in emergency rescue 
operations by civil defense and public safety agencies and a public utility 
emergency service vehicle may be equipped with auxiliary lights that emit an 
amber light. 
(1-A)  A Department of Labor motor vehicle operated by a workplace safety 
inspector may be equipped with auxiliary lights that emit an amber light. 
(2)  A wrecker must be equipped with a flashing light mounted on top of the 
vehicle in such a manner as to emit an amber light over a 360` angle.  The light 
must be in use on a public way or a place where public traffic may reasonably be 
anticipated when servicing, freeing, loading, unloading or towing a vehicle. 
(3)  A vehicle engaged in snow removal or sanding operations on a public way 
must be equipped with and display an auxiliary light that provides visible light 
coverage over a 360` range.  The light must emit an amber beam of light and be 
equipped with a blinking or strobe light function and have sufficient intensity to 
be visible at 500 feet in normal daylight.   When the left wing of a plow is in 
operation and extends over the center of the road, an auxiliary light must show 
the extreme end of the left wing.  That light may be attached to the vehicle so that 
the beam of light points at the left wing.  The light illuminating the left wing may 
be controlled by a separate switch or by the regular lighting system and must be 
in operation at all times when the vehicle is used for plowing snow on public 
ways. 
(4)  A vehicle equipped and used for plowing snow on other than public ways 
may be equipped with an auxiliary rotary flashing light that must be mounted on 
top of the vehicle in such a manner as to emit an amber beam of light over a 360` 
angle, or an amber strobe, or combination of strobes, that emits at a minimum a 
beam of 50 candlepower and provides visible light coverage over a 360` range.  
The light may be in use on a public way only when the vehicle is entering the 
public way in the course of plowing private driveways and other off-highway 
locations. 
(5)  A rural mail vehicle may be equipped with auxiliary lights. 
(a)  The lights used to the front must be white or amber, or any shade 
between white and amber. 
(b)  The lights used to the rear must be amber or red, or any shade between 
amber and red. 
(c)  The lights, whether used to the front or rear, must be mounted at the 
same level and as widely spaced laterally as possible. 
(d)  The lights, whether used to the front or rear, must flash simultaneously. 
(e)  The lights must be visible from a distance of at least 500 feet in normal 
daylight. 
(6)  A vehicle used or provided by a contract security company to assist in traffic 
control and direction at construction or maintenance sites on a public way may be 
equipped with amber auxiliary lights. 
(7)  A Department of Public Safety vehicle operated by a motor carrier inspector 
or motor vehicle inspector may be equipped with auxiliary lights that emit an 
amber light. 
(8)  A vehicle used by an animal control officer appointed pursuant to Title 7, 
section 3947 may be equipped with auxiliary lights that emit a flashing amber 
light. 
(9)  A refuse, garbage or trash business vehicle used by an individual to transport 
refuse, garbage and trash may be equipped with auxiliary lights that emit a 
flashing amber light. 
(10)  A vehicle used by an individual to transport and deliver newspapers may be 
equipped with auxiliary lights that emit a flashing amber light. 
(11)  A vehicle used or provided by a media company may be equipped with 
amber auxiliary lights, which may be used only when the vehicle is at an accident 
site on a public way.  For purposes of this subparagraph, "media company" 
means a radio or television station, a cable television system or a newspaper. 
SUMMARY 
This bill allows a media company vehicle to be equipped with amber auxiliary lights 
and to use those lights only if that vehicle is at an accident site on a public way.