CHAPTER 156

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 46.1-255, 46.1-256, 46.1-265, 46.1-267,
46.1-268 and 46.1-287 of the Code of Virginia, relating to regulation
of flares, reflectors and other signals for stopped vehicles and to other
lights required on vehicles.

[H 199]

Approved March 3, 1960

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§ 46.1-255, 46.1-256, 46.1-265, 46.1-267, 46.1-268 and 46.1-287
of the Code of Virginia be amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 46.1-255. Whenever any bus or truck is disabled and stops upon
any portion of the traveled portion of any highway in this State, except
within the corporate limits of cities or upon streets or. highways which
are artificially lighted at night, at any time during which lights are re-
quired upon motor vehicles by § 46.1-268 the operator of such bus or
truck shall place or cause to be placed on the roadway three red reflector
flares or torches of a type approved by the Superintendent. One of the
flares or torches shall be placed in the center of the lane of traffic occupied
by the disabled bus or truck and not less than one hundred feet therefrom
in the direction of traffic approaching in that lane, one not less than one
hundred feet from such bus or truck in the opposite direction and one at
the traffic side of such bus or truck not closer than ten feet from the
front or rear thereof; provided, however, that if such bus or truck is
disabled within five hundred feet of a curve or crest of a hill, or other ob-
struction to view, the flares or torches in that direction shall be so placed
as to afford ample warning to other users of the highway, but in no case
less than five hundred feet from the disabled vehicle.

§ 46.1-256. If any such vehicle is used for the transportation of
inflammable liquids in bulk, whether loaded or empty or for transporting
inflammable gases, red reflector flares or red electric lanterns of a type
approved by the Superintendent of State Police shall be used *. Such re-
flectors or lanterns shall be lighted and placed upon the roadway in the
manner provided * in the preceding section.

§ 46.1-265. (a) All motor vehicles, trailers or semitrailers exceed-
ing seven feet in height or in width or the widest portion of which extends
four inches beyond the front fender extremes shall be equipped with
lamps mounted at the extreme right and left hand front top corners of
such vehicle, each of which lamps shall be capable of projecting an amber
light visible in clear weather for a distance of at least five hundred feet
to the front of such vehicle, and shall be equipped with lamps mounted
at the extreme right and left hand rear top corners of such vehicle, each
of which lights shall be capable of projecting a red light visible in clear
weather for a distance of at least five hundred feet to the rear of such
vehicle. If the front or the rear of such vehicle shall not be the widest
portion of such vehicle the dimension or marker lights required in this
section shall be mounted on the widest portions of the vehicle with the
amber lights herein required visible from the front as herein required
and the red lights herein required visible from the rear as herein required.
The lamps herein required shall be of a type that has been approved by the
Superintendent.

(b) In addition to the lamps required herein, each such vehicle
shall be equipped with amber reflectors located on the side thereof, at or
near the front. Red reflectors shall be used on the rear of each such ve-
hicle. Such reflectors shall be securely fastened to the vehicle not less than
twenty-four inches and not more than sixty inches from the ground, pro-
vided that in the case of a vehicle which is less than twenty-four inches in
height such reflector shall be securely fastened thereto at the highest point
the structure of a vehicle will permit. The reflectors required herein shall
be of a type that have been approved by the Superintendent.

(c) If any vehicle is so constructed as to make compliance with the
requirements of this section impractical, the lamps and reflectors re-
quired herein shall be placed on the vehicle in accordance with the Super-
intendent’s regulations; however, the requirement of reflectors shall not
apply to school buses unless used during the time that lights are required
under § 46.1-268 of the Code of Virginia, as amended.

8 46.1-267. Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed
two fog lamps, one passing lamp, one driving lamp, two side lamps of not
more than six candle power; interior light of not more than fifteen candle
power; vacant or destination signs on vehicles operated as public car-
riers, and signal lamps.
Any police vehicle, fire department vehicle, school bus, ambulance,
any rescue vehicle whether publicly or privately owned used for emer-
gency calls, and any vehicle used for the principal purpose of towing dis-
abled vehicles or in constructing, maintaining and repairing public high-
ways or utilities on or along public highways, may be equipped with flash-
ing, blinking or alternating warning lights of a type approved by the
Superintendent. The Superintendent may limit the number of vehicles to
be equipped with such warning lights owned by any one department,
association or person. as

In addition to the foregoing, the Superintendent, upon application
of the chief of any volunteer fire department, may issue permits to not
more than three members of any volunteer fire department, designated
by the chief in such application, to equip one privately owned vehicle each
with warning lights for use in emergency calls. o,

No motor vehicle shall be operated on any highway which is equipped
with any lighting device other than lamps required or permitted in this
article or required or permitted by the Superintendent. —_—

§ 46.1-268. (a) Every vehicle upon a highway within this State
shall display lighted lamps and illuminating devices as required by this
article from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise and at
any other time when, due to insufficient light or unfavorable atmospheric
conditions, persons * or vehicles on the highway are not clearly discerni-
ble at a distance of 500 feet. oo,

(b) Not more than four lamps used to provide general illumination
ahead of the vehicle, including at least two head lamps and any other com-
bination of fog lamps, passing lamp, driving lamp or other auxiliary lamp
approved by the Superintendent shall be lighted at any time. Provided,
however, this limitation shall not preclude the display of such warning
lights as may be authorized in § 46.1-267, nor such lights as may be
authorized by the Superintendent for purposes of identification, other than
warning lights.

(c) Vehicles equipped with warning lights authorized in § 46.1-267
shall display such lights at all times when engaged in emergency calls,
and if engaged in towing disabled vehicles or in constructing, repairing
and maintaining public highways or utilities on or along public highways,
ae lights shall be displayed during the periods prescribed in paragraph

a).

§ 46.1-287. (a) * Every bus used for the principal purpose of
transporting school children shall be equipped with a warning device of
such type as may be prescribed by the State Board after consultation with
the Superintendent of State Police. Such a warning device shall indicate
when such bus is stopped, is about to stop, and when it is taking on or
discharging children. Such warning device shall be used and in operation
for a distance of not less than one hundred feet before any proposed stop
of such bus if the lawful speed limit is less than thirty-five miles per hour,
and for a distance of at least two hundred feet before any proposed stop
of such bus if the lawful speed limit is thirty-five miles per hour or more.

(b) Any person operating such bus who fails or refuses to equip
such vehicle being driven by him with such equipment, or who fails to use
such warning devices in the operation of such vehicle shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor, and shall on conviction be fined not less than five dollars
nor more than twenty-five dollars.