60-6,114. Authorized emergency vehicles; privileges; conditions.

(1) Subject to the conditions stated in the Nebraska Rules of the Road, the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency call, when pursuing an actual or suspected violator of the law, or when responding to but not when returning from a fire alarm, may:

(a) Stop, park, or stand, irrespective of the provisions of the rules, and disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions; and

(b) Except for wreckers towing disabled vehicles and highway maintenance vehicles and equipment:

(i) Proceed past a steady red indication, a flashing red indication, or a stop sign but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation; and

(ii) Exceed the maximum speed limits so long as he or she does not endanger life, limb, or property.

(2) Except when operated as a police vehicle, the exemptions granted in subsection (1) of this section shall apply only when the driver of such vehicle, while in motion, sounds an audible signal by bell, siren, or exhaust whistle as may be reasonably necessary and when such vehicle is equipped with at least one lighted light displaying a red light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of five hundred feet to the front of such vehicle.

(3) The exemptions granted in subsection (1) of this section shall not relieve the driver from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons, nor shall such provisions protect such driver from the consequences of his or her reckless disregard for the safety of others.

(4) Authorized emergency vehicles operated by police and fire departments shall not be subject to the size and weight limitations of sections 60-6,288 to 60-6,290 and 60-6,294.

Source

Annotations

The driver of an emergency vehicle has the right to proceed past a steady red light, but must exercise due care in doing so. Gatewood v. City of Bellevue, 232 Neb. 525, 441 N.W.2d 585 (1989).

Police vehicle enjoys privileges as an emergency vehicle as long as the officer operates emergency equipment in good faith belief that he or she is responding to an emergency. Police officer exercised due regard in operating an emergency vehicle. Maple v. City of Omaha, 222 Neb. 293, 384 N.W.2d 254 (1986).

The trial court did not err in refusing to direct a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, who was injured when he was struck by a police car responding to an emergency call. Stephen v. City of Lincoln, 209 Neb. 792, 311 N.W.2d 889 (1981).