Yesterday morning I met an oncoming lane-line painting truck on U.S. 14 east of Woodstock and near Centegra Hospital-Woodstock. It was painting the center line and was in the middle of the road.
The surprising part was the loud siren in use on the truck. When I saw the truck in the middle of the road, with a long line of traffic behind it, I immediately thought there was an approaching emergency vehicle - probably an ambulance enroute to the hospital.
Nope! The siren was on the privately-owned contractor's truck, in use presumably to warn traffic that the truck was in the middle of the road.
I have no doubt that the centerline painting operation is a hazardous one. The truck was straddling the centerline, with the paint sprayer between the truck's wheels. Other trucks operate with the sprayer off the left front of the truck, so that the truck stays in its lane.
As I understand the law, sirens can be used on designated emergency vehicles (police, fire, medical) while responding to emergencies. I've never heard of sirens being used on private-owned work trucks.
When I saw the truck in the middle of the road and traffic behind it, I pulled over to yield to what I thought was an oncoming ambulance or police car, so that it could pass the backed-up line of traffic and the painting truck.
I wondered by what State authority a siren would be permitted. Anyone know the statute?
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If used as you described; it was illegal. Such vehicle IS NOT listed in the exemptions. The exceptions are for AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY Vehicles TROLLEY's or ORGAN transport Vehicle
(625 ILCS 5/12 601) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12 601)
Sec. 12 601. Horns and warning devices.
(b) No vehicle shall be equipped with nor shall any person use upon a vehicle any siren, whistle, or bell, except as otherwise permitted in this section. Any authorized emergency vehicle or organ transport vehicle as defined in Chapter 1 of this Act may be equipped with a siren, whistle, or bell, capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than 500 feet, but such siren, whistle or bell, shall not be used except when such vehicle is operated in response to an emergency call or in the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law in either of which events the driver of such vehicle shall sound such siren, whistle or bell, when necessary to warn pedestrians and other drivers of the approach thereof.
Nota, many thanks for providing the statute controlling use of sirens. That's what I thought, too.
A State trooper had told me, after I described the circumstances, that he didn't know of anything in the Illinois Vehicle Code that would prohibit such use. I should have gotten his name, so that I could forward the statute to him.
Obviously, a contractor's lane-line painting truck is not an emergency vehicle. I'll tell you, though; there were cars all over the road and shoulder, as drivers tried to figure out where the siren was.
Thanks again.
An IDOT traffic lane Striping Contract Supervisor has reminded all private contractors that the use of a siren on Illinois highways is prohibited.
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