Purple Light Legalities?

[x129K 1,393]

Today while driving, I rounded a corner and saw an SUV in the oncoming lane, with mini strobe bar light, grille LED lights, and headlight strobes....being a huge supporter of the Move Over law, I immediatly pulled to the shoulder fo the road and slowed down...then I realized the lights were all PURPLE...which i have seen on whoopie light buff sites for funeral purposes...sure enough - a small funeral procession.

But it is legal for a funeral company to operate a vehicle on public roadways with these lights?

[Bull McCaffrey 162]

No offense but who cares?

[x129K 1,393]

Sorry - STRICTLY out of curiosity...should have clarified...

[10512 214]

The issue is with perception, as the original poster stated, he initially pulled over for it.

I agree with giving all possible courtesy to a funeral procession, be it big or small.

But I can see a problem if some motorist may mis-identify the vehicles as emergency vehicles. I think that a mini-strobe bar light, headlight strobes and grille lights might be an overkill for a courtesy light. If it is going to cause any confusion, maybe another form of I.D. should be used.

I remember years ago, cars would have their headlights on while part of a procession, but now with many cars equipped with Daytime running lamps, that is ineffective.

I do not recall ever reading that purple lights were ok for Funeral Homes to use, unless the VTL has changed in the past few years.

Edited June 26, 2012 by 10512

[JM15 386]

Hazard lights?

[INIT915 1,119]

Today while driving, I rounded a corner and saw an SUV in the oncoming lane, with mini strobe bar light, grille LED lights, and headlight strobes....being a huge supporter of the Move Over law, I immediatly pulled to the shoulder fo the road and slowed down...then I realized the lights were all PURPLE...which i have seen on whoopie light buff sites for funeral purposes...sure enough - a small funeral procession.

But it is legal for a funeral company to operate a vehicle on public roadways with these lights?

They are unlawful, but I've never seen any enforcement. I don't even think a majority of funeral homes use them.

[wraftery 1,275]

I suggest we all write our congressman and either ban purple lights or tax them heavily. If it's dumb, our legislators will surely put it into law.

OOPS...I take that back...I'm getting old.

Congress might take it the wrong way and ban funerals altogether.

[x129K 1,393]

They are unlawful, but I've never seen any enforcement. I don't even think a majority of funeral homes use them.

Thanks....yeah, this was the first time I had ever seen them in person...a rickety old Tahoe lit up, leading a few Caddi's and the hearse...

[Danger 160]

Thanks....yeah, this was the first time I had ever seen them in person...a rickety old Tahoe lit up, leading a few Caddi's and the hearse...

Dan, I caught this today crossing Mill @ Catherine. The answer to who cares? They had a Sanford and Son packed with enough lights to make the biggest volly jealous and shot across three lanes of high speed traffic, and for what? It's unfortunate that someone died but there's no hurry, that situation isn't changing, and it's wrong to risk putting other people in said hearse over it.

[x129K 1,393]

Haha...I saw it IFO Red Oaks Mill.

[Officer Ed 59]

In the Southwest, funeral processions are escorted by state-licensed companies that use red/blue lights and sirens, the same as law enforcement. The law dictates that drivers must yield to these company's vehicles the same as government emergency vehicles.

I only recently heard that funeral escorts "back east" use purple lights when I received some requests for them at a company I own that sells low-cost, high-quality LED dash lights. We decided not to stock purple.

[dwcfireman 656]

I heard somewhere along the way that purple lights, from a federal standard, were for transport vehicles carrying nuclear fuel/waste. Has anyone else heard that?

[th1 1]

found this on google

Purple Lights

Purple Lights, although rarely seen, are affixed to hearses or funeral vehicles to warn others of a procession. These are by no means emergency vehicles, and you're in no way mandated to move out of the way for these vehicles.

Purple Light Conclusion: Non-emergency, used on hearses for funeral processions. You're not mandated to move over.

.Source: "New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law". 2007-2008 Edition.

[peterose313 345]

Today while driving, I rounded a corner and saw an SUV in the oncoming lane, with mini strobe bar light, grille LED lights, and headlight strobes....being a huge supporter of the Move Over law, I immediatly pulled to the shoulder fo the road and slowed down...then I realized the lights were all PURPLE...which i have seen on whoopie light buff sites for funeral purposes...sure enough - a small funeral procession.

But it is legal for a funeral company to operate a vehicle on public roadways with these lights?

I've seen them used a few times but not to the extent that you described. Occasionally I've run into a funeral procession in Valhalla near the parkway and the cars leading the procession from the funeral home would have a little purple rotatory light on the roof and all the cars would have their lights and hazards on.

[50-65 205]

They had a Sanford and Son packed with enough lights to make the biggest volly jealous...

maybe it was a buffy volly working a second job

[sympathomedic 383]

So If I read this right, Dan yielded the right of way to a dead person?

[x129K 1,393]

Started too - then I realized what was up and waved...only used 1 finger though.

You know how those buffs can be.....

[MoFire390 118]

Dan you still moved over for a dead person as morbid as that might sound.

In the last 5 years ive seen more and more funeral processions some with purple lights, some with clear lights, some with purple flags. I know the local funeral home here in montrose uses clear strobes in the fog lights of their hurse as a warning device.