Europe Emergency_vehicle_lighting

1 europe

1.1 belgium
1.2 czech republic
1.3 france
1.4 germany
1.5 greece
1.6 hungary
1.7 latvia
1.8 netherlands
1.9 norway
1.10 poland
1.11 romania
1.12 russia
1.13 slovenia
1.14 spain
1.15 sweden
1.16 united kingdom

europe


german emergency vehicles (all blue beacons).

in of europe emergency vehicles use blue lights. however, darker specification blue used in other parts of world.

red lights not common in europe, though used in countries red has specific meaning. police in finland, estonia, germany , sweden use forward-facing red light indicate driver must pull on , stop. in u.k., police cars outfitted flashing red lights rear toggled on/off separately blue lights indicate caution. austria, germany , sweden use red on fire vehicles designate command post; in other countries single green beacon designates command post. in sweden, green strobe indicate medical command vehicle. greece uses red on fire engines, , red along blue on police vehicles. in poland, red used on designated vehicles, including police , military vehicles, indicate beginning and/or end of convoy (of type of vehicles). until national police in slovakia used blue lights, have started using red , blue lights; municipal , military police used blue lights in slovakia.

the use of blue emergency light originates in germany during world war ii. result of ‘verdunkelung’, measure aerial defense 1935, cobalt blue regulated replace red color used until 1938 in emergency vehicle lights. due scattering properties of blue color, visible lower altitudes , therefore less spotted enemy airplanes.

belgium

belgian law prohibits red lights facing forward , therefore emergency vehicles use blue lights (red lights allowed @ rear). other agencies , authorities permitted carry blue lights on service or intervention vehicles include customs administration, military police, service removal , destruction of explosive devices, governors of provinces, civil defense service, security service of railroad network, infrabel , utility companies.

czech republic

special audible warning device supplemented special warning light blue color can fitted vehicles.

ministry of interior used police , identified special legislation,
the prison service,
military police designated special legislation,
municipal police, determines municipality,
fire departments,
mine rescue service,
emergency service gas facilities,
emergency medical services , transport sick, wounded , pregnant women,
used armed forces military rescue units carrying out humanitarian tasks of civil protection.
the customs administration marked special regulation.

france

blue : when responding, emergency vehicles (including police cars) required have, @ least, 1 -360 degrees visible- blue light on roof. french law strictly states kind of blue lights , sirens emergency vehicle can display, 2 different categories.

the first category includes fire, local , national police, gendarmerie, customs, penitentiary service, public ems (samu), private ambulances under samu contract , government civil defence. these vehicles must use two-tones sirens , beacons rotating effect, and/or lightbars flashing or rotating effects. can use 2 additional blue, flashing, front-facing lights.
the second category includes other private ambulances, blood/organ transport, railroad security, snow plows, highway maintenance/safety , electricity/gas units respond incidents , banque de france transport trucks. these vehicles must use three-tones sirens (except snow plows) , beacons flashing effect, and/or lightbars flashing effects.

amber : emergency vehicle, amber lights can used or without blue, warn other drivers emergency vehicle stopped or slow. non-emergency vehicles allowed use amber include agricultural, construction, utility, oversized, tow , airport vehicles.

green, red, white or purple not considered emergency lights, 2 first ones used on roof of command vehicles (on scene of incidents).

germany

only emergency , police vehicle may use blue lights. includes firefighters, rescue services, emergency response vehicles public utilities , civil defense units. other kinds of blue lights (e.g. car floor lighting or cab interior lights) illegal on public roads. flashing blue lights , sirens may used authorized vehicles in case of emergency , order other vehicles make way, since these vehicles have absolute right of way. blue lights alone may used secure site of accident (or standing emergency vehicle). sometimes, columns of emergency or police vehicles use blue lights (without sirens) make column more visible other vehicles.

german police lightbars have ‘polizei’ written in white on dome, , incorporate led text display can read, in mirrored writing if towards front, ‘stop polizei’ or ‘bitte folgen’ (‘please follow’), signal drivers pull over. in newest generation, text display changes between german , english (stop polizei → stop police , bitte folgen → follow me).

greece

police used have blue-colored emergency lights after recent restock of vehicles, use of both blue , red color usual. fire departments make use of red emergency light while ambulances either use red or both colors. regulation states military vehicles carrying politicians can make use of single rotating blue light @ roof. every other individual and/or company may use yellow lights either warning or emergency. special groups emergency response teams , agents may include emergency lights on private vehicles in case of emergency when not in active duty. utility vehicles such construction related, tow trucks must equipped yellow-colored emergency light bar on top, visible front , rear side. same applies private security firm vehicles, in treated typical private cars.

hungary

blue lights (in light bars) used (reserved for) police, ambulance service, emergency blood transport, fire brigade, emergency response teams (public services), correction facilities. blue-red combo used police , ambulance, red can used in combo blue. police units use additional lighting, e.g. strobe lights, alternating headlight flash, behind-windshield blue/red lights. detachable blue flash lamps used unsigned cars of special police forces, personal transport services government members, , diplomatic convoy/escort vehicles. amber/yellow flashing lights warning special attribute (e.g. oversized, slow, parking @ unexpected places etc.) of vehicles garbage trucks, road cleaning/control/repair, snow plow, car assistance services, construction, transporting dangerous materials etc. amber/yellow lights not grant traffic privileges, except go in opposite direction in one-way streets or driving on opposite side in cases, e.g. road cleaning.

latvia

almost emergency vehicles in latvia equipped roof lightbars are:

white white/dark blue colour smaller eu dark blue lights - police (policija), road police (ceļu policija)
dark blue smaller white lights + dark blue beacons - paramedics (neatliekamā medicīniskā palīdzība)

the gas emergency service (avārijas dienests/gāzes avārijas dienests) , firefighter cars equipped dark blue beacons on top. gas emergency service vehicles not have lightbars. police cars ones have dark blue dash flashers.

amber lights designate non-emergency or slow movement vehicles such tow trucks, tractors, combine harvesters or construction equipment.

netherlands

the color of emergency vehicle lighting blue. vehicles using flashing blue lights , siren have right of way on other vehicles. designated emergency/priority vehicles may use blue lights; includes police, fire brigade, ambulance service , few other, smaller services such blood bank , lifeguard organizations. dutch police vehicles have led matrix display, can show different texts in red lighting. used stop politie (ordering driver pull on , stop) or volgen politie (ordering driver follow police vehicle). standard dutch police cars have text bar incorporated in light bar, vans , motorcycles have separate sign on front of vehicle. on ambulances, green beacon indicates command vehicle when multiple units responding incident - first vehicle arrives on scene. newer ambulance models have text display alternate words ‘ambulance’ , ‘spoed’ (‘urgent’). when ever vehicles on scene (usually fire brigade vehicles , police vans), or staying in place other reason, need switch amber lighting signal not moving.

norway

emergency services in norway use blue lighting. if blue flashing light seen in either traffic or sea, other vehicles must yield let vehicle pass. blue flashing lights used police, military police, customs, fire departments, rescue services, , ambulances. government, vip, , embassy vehicles may use blue if accompanied local police. vehicle equipped blue flashing light must have permission issued dmv. operator of such vehicle must qualified emergency vehicle operator , have ‘code 160’ endorsement on driver s license. blue lights can used alone or additional siren. siren may not used alone. operator of emergency vehicle may disregard speed limits , traffic lights caution. amber lights, however, not regulated, used vehicle need special attention, such tow-trucks, snow plows, , parking enforcement. red flashing lights no longer in use, , last used in 1960s.

poland

only designated vehicles (such police, fire service, ambulances, internal affairs, etc.) permitted use blue light. sale of blue emergency light permitted, however, possession of such light in vehicles (whether turned on or off, visible or not) strictly illegal. red lights used first , last vehicle of convoy of designated vehicles , strictly regulated. amber lights seeing increasing popularity in recent years, however, specific uses designated according polish ‘kodeks drogowy’. there no specific rules governing use of other colors such purple, green, or clear lights.

romania

the 3 emergency lights used in romania red, blue , amber. @ red flashing light, bringing vehicle full stop compulsory, while blue light yielding, slowing down , moving out of way compulsory, , amber light means other traffic vehicles must proceed caution due oversized or slow vehicle.

the cars allowed use red lights romanian police , roman general inspectorate emergency situations.

cars allowed use blue rotating light romanian police (including local police), romanian gendarmerie, romanian border police, emergency medical services (including smurd), civil protection, ministry of national defense, special units of romanian intelligence service, protection , guard service, ministry of justice - general directorate of prisons, public ministry when in mission, national anticorruption directorate when in mission, , financial guard vehicles.

the amber rotating light mean vehicle , accompanying vehicles oversized, overweight, transporting dangerous goods, work road/street maintenance, tow trucks, tractors, or agricultural vehicles.

russia

red , blue: traffic police (dps dorozhno patrulnaya sluzhba road patrol service); fso (federalnaya sluzhba ohrany federal security service).
blue: police, ambulance, fire brigade, emercom vehicles, gas emergency service, central bank of russia vehicles.
amber: construction , utility vehicles, airport service vehicles (excluding emergency vehicles), snow removal.
white: russian post, armored cash transport cars.

slovenia

blue: police, ambulance service, fire brigade, military police, military ambulance, traffic police.
blue , red: first vehicle of police vehicles convoy.
blue , green: last vehicle of police vehicles convoy. (also red color can used instead of green in cases)
white: additional lightbar color, wig-wag on emergency vehicles, accident scene lighting (fire , ambulance)
amber: municipality police, utility , construction vehicles, heavy machines, slow vehicles.

spain

the law allows cuerpo nacional de policía, guardia civil, policía local , autonomous law-enforcement agencies use blue lights, in contrast convention in europe, civil defense, ambulances (ambulancia) , fire engines (bomberos) have use yellow/amber lights (the other color authorized, in contrast convention in these color lights used denote slow vehicles). autonomous communities have allowed other colors, such blue, red or white (the latter 2 of used samur in madrid), however, these technically illegal use throughout spain. yellow/amber lights used in wide-load trucks , accompanying vehicles. steady burn green light permitted on taxis.

sweden

blue police vehicles, medical vehicles , fire engines use white along dark ‘euro blue’ improve visibility during daylight hours. blue lights allowed used on vehicles of “vital importance community”. means response vehicles gas companies , electrical companies may use blue lights , sirens, vehicles use railroad/tram/metro fast response units including private tow operators contracted lift trams, vehicles of swedish military police , vehicles of swedish customs service. vehicles transport blood or donor organs may use blue lights , sirens. cars carrying armed security officers (tasked protecting embassies, airports , government buildings) may use blue lights , sirens if responding alarm.

yellow/amber lights grant no priority in traffic , exist purely advertise vehicle’s presence, , warning: heavy machines, trucks, bulldozers , suchlike equipped yellow/amber lights, , slow-going vehicles, , vehicles operate in place not supposed encounter vehicle. fitting these lights other vehicles, such privately owned or pedestrian, legal.

red swedish police use forward-facing red light indicate driver must pull on , stop. fire vehicles use red light designate command post.

green swedish ambulances use single green flashing light indicate command post.

united kingdom

blue lights

the light bar on top of northumbria police car (england)

usage of emergency vehicle lighting restricted in united kingdom through road vehicle lighting regulations 1989. illegal vehicle show flashing colored light (with exception of normal direction indicators or green anti-lock brake warning indicator), unless emergency or other authorized vehicle. pedal cycles can exhibit flashing rear red lamp , flashing white front lamp.

the main color emergency service vehicles overwhelmingly blue, although there widespread use of flashing (white) headlights, , police vehicles have set of 2 rear-facing red flashing lights indicate police car stopped or indicate caution. legal definition of emergency vehicle limits use of both methods vehicles used for:

fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes (this includes private fire or emergency ambulance services, not private security)
fire salvage
forestry commission or local authority when fighting fires
ministry of defence bomb disposal, mountain rescue, nuclear emergency or armament support, or special forces responding national security emergency
national blood service or scottish national blood transfusion service vehicles
hm coastguard
british coal corporation (now coal authority) mine rescue
rnli lifeboat launching vehicles (usually restricted launching slipway)
mountain rescue
carrying human tissue transplant
hm revenue , customs when investigating serious crime.
london underground erus - emergency response units - when attending emergencies.

blue flashing lights must lit @ scene of emergency, or when driver considers desirable indicate journey being undertaken urgent, , (in terms of law) convey other drivers should take special care.

six metropolitan police service special escort group motorcycles driving blue lights flashing.

although not linked use of warning beacons, police, fire brigade , ambulance services (and in cases, blood services , bomb disposal units, not other emergency services listed above) may choose allow drivers claim legal exemptions motoring regulations, such being able treat red traffic light give way sign, exceeding speed limit, passing wrong side of keep left/right sign, driving in bus lane, or parking in restricted areas. may not, however, ignore ‘no entry’ signs, drive wrong way down one-way street or cross solid white line in middle of road (other same exceptions granted else, example pass stationary vehicle). in reality drivers disobey other laws @ professional judgement without automatic protection law. services, such hm coastguard not allow staff claim exemptions available them.

no qualification other driver s license legally required use blue lights; whilst provision has been made require drivers of emergency vehicles have suitable training if driving above speed limit, has not yet been brought force. organizations insist drivers trained in emergency driving techniques.

the common combination of blue flashing lights two-tone sirens has led ‘blues , twos’ becoming nickname core emergency services whole, title of british documentary series depicting them.

amber/yellow lights

amber lights grant no priority in traffic , exist purely advertise vehicle’s presence. regulations specifies several classes of vehicles may use amber lights, such towing, highway maintenance, pilot vehicles escorting oversize load, , vehicles unable travel on 25 mph , fitting these lights other vehicles(such privately owned or pedestrian) legal (these beacons fitted vehicles wide-ranging security , ambulances).

amber leds used on operational appliances owned hampshire fire , rescue service. combination of blue , amber leds in light bar proven more visible @ distance. amber lights utilised vehicle , operator services agency (vosa)

other lights

green emergency lighting being used worldwide national security agencies responsible protection of critical infrastructure due new risk of terrorism. uk along australia, canada, new zealand , several other commonwealth countries use green emergency lights along usa identify special security vehicles while on secured facilities responding security breach @ facility. royal park estate wardens authorised use green emergency warning lights.

flashing red lights not allowed on vehicles, though many emergency vehicles have rear-facing flashing red lights, used signify vehicle stationary. these are, however, prohibited regulations. hazard lights may wired function @ same time, make civilians further conscious of presence. fog lights may used in alternating left/right pattern.

steady checkered lights denote command , control vehicles - these red , white fire (one of few situations forward-facing red light may shown), blue , white police , green , white ambulance, , fitted in middle of light bar.

it should noted uk legislation considers lights, reflectors , reflective material lights, , items resembling special warning beacons (of color) must covered , not disconnected (as separate offence) while on public highway. similarly, no distinction made between lights mounted on light bars , mounted anywhere else on vehicle (e.g. headlights, indicators, brake lights) - covered same regulations.