Lightbar on freeway?

[dsquierj]

I used to use my lightbar on all traffic stops regardless of location. Then I read a study indicating that emergency vehicles with the lights activated cause MORE collisions than less. Apparantly people zone on the lights and stop paying attention to the driving. Now when I stop on the freeway, I turn off my lightbar and use the car's emergency flashers. However, I notice that most do not. Does anyone else follow this?

[CarCop]

ALWAYS shut off my lights. Unless I have a directional on to move traffic over the lightbar is off on a stop. Two things seem to happen, especially at night.

1. Everyone wants to know what is going on so they slow and look, causing everyone to do the same and yep... more fender benders.

2. Drunks LOVE lights. many of our officers have been hit in the past by drunks that just focus on the lights.

[Darth Choke]

85% of my graveyard shift stops are on the freeway (95% if on swing shift).

I always leave my lights off. Less likely to be a target. I try to get them off at an off-ramp and on to a surface street when available. I will then use my directional lights on the surface street.

[TPO]

http://www.pfmmag.com/MarchApril2004/MarchApril04emergencylights.htm

i turn everything off if i'm in a parking lot. when on a road, i turn off all but minimal lights. i like a tiny flasher. if i turn off everything, the move over law doesn't apply and my peeps can't poach off my stop.

[gotthblues]

i had a slick top, so i only left the corner strobes and direction stick on, i like the hwy ptrl here, they have a switch to turn off the back lights, but still leaves on the front lights. but its kinda a catch 22, if your lights are off its sometimes hard to give an exact location on the highway. if you call for back up, and they only have an approximate location, well it takes longer to get there, plus ive seen several training videos where a civi slowed down and saw the officer in trouble and they stopped to help, if your lights are off, then they probably wont be paying attention to you. but it would also suck to get ***-ended at 70mph.

[squad51]

I leave my rear arrow stick on, the tail lights flashing and the lower deck lights on..unless I am blocking traffic and then I keeper on at 3..

[pkagel]

Hence why I call them "drunk bug zappers"

[rpd1794]

On a t-stop I would agree less is more. The only problem I have with that is that if some moron does tag me and my lights are not on, I will 1) be violating policy, and 2)the liabilty when the moron sues me and the department because he said he could'nt see me. We have gone to all LED lights in all blue and they are almost too bright at night...I can hear the truckers bitch on the CB when I make stops on 95 at night. And I can kind of agree because it's tough following another copper running code with those things blasting away.

[Rattel]

I don

[horne80]

I never thought about drunks hitting me while stopping someone at night.. Do you think the subtle rear patterns would be ample enough but not drawing too much attention?

[SinePari]

I have a slicktop as well. During daylight people cannot see much of the lights anyway. In the front I have 2 strobes in the window, 2 in the grill, wig-wags and that's it. In the rear I have 4 deck strobes and rear flashers. Not much at all.

On a stop at night I turn all the fronts off and put high beams on (no take-downs), and leave all my rears on. Like was said before, I'd rather be seen than not.

[LAWENFORCER]

The problem I have with turning all your lights off is, if someone decides to pull over onto the shoulder for whatever reason, ie switch drivers, mechanical... etc... they may rear end you because they couldn't see you.
Leaving all your lights on, warns other motorists of the presence of an emergency vehicle. That is the whole purpose of the lightbar.

[pkagel]

Lately I've been seeing a lot of the CHP officers just using their emergencies in their taillights.

[Bodie]

Always leave light bar on. If you get hit you have no way to charge the offending driver. On freeway traffic stops make them as short as possible.
If traffic is tough approach offender and have them exit at next ramp then do your citation etc.

It is pure suicide to not have at least rear of light bar on.

[dsquierj]

I think that having your taillamps illuminated and using the vehicle's factory emergency flashers will cover you liability-wise for others seeing you.

[sflcop]

I think that having your taillamps illuminated and using the vehicle's factory emergency flashers will cover you liability-wise for others seeing you.

Not in this state

[Bodie]

In OHIO you had better have light bar facing traffic on. You would be at fault in case of an accident.

Read bio of guy who started this post ...... It DOES NOT ADD UP >>>

Born 1972
NOT A SWORN OFFICER
Retired CA Deputy ???
Rank Deputy ???
Minnestota ???

[gotthblues]

In OHIO you had better have light bar facing traffic on. You would be at fault in case of an accident.

Read bio of guy who started this post ...... It DOES NOT ADD UP >>>

Born 1972
NOT A SWORN OFFICER
Retired CA Deputy ???
Rank Deputy ???
Minnestota ???
good work :D , i was also thinking about liability,,plus i remember several years back, was talking about driving in fog, if you have to pull over, dont leave your lights on, someone might think that they are way left of center, then swerve into you,,same goes for a drunk, even if not foggy. they may think that they are driving on the wrong side of the road and then move over and hit you, if you only have on your taillights,

[Resq14]

Not in this state

Same here.

9. Stationary authorized emergency vehicles. The operator of a vehicle passing a stationary authorized emergency vehicle using an emergency light, with due regard to the safety and traffic conditions, shall:

A. Pass in a lane not adjacent to that of the authorized emergency vehicle, if possible; or [2001, c. 360,

[dsquierj]

Then moved to MN. Reserve here.

[Bodie]

Medical from law enforcment means you can't serve in any law enforcment capacity reserve or otherwise. You are medical you are unbale to perform duties of law enforcement officer so if CA found out kiss medical bye bye.

But you know this so your story does not quite stack up.

[SWH]

Turn them off, if you don't they'll be 2 more accidents in the traffic that will bunch up doing the looksee for the current car stop.

Or just use the yellow directional, people tend to ignore those because they think tow truck.

[VALLEYCOWBOY]

In CALI we did not req rotators, only a forward red for stops. We have this and overheads. On vehicle stops (upon actual stopping) usually the overheads went off and only forward red and rear flashers remained on. This met legal/dept policy in case of prob. Most area's I worked leaving your overheads on would ensure bystanders and "rocks & bottles". We left overheads on only when max visibility was req ie: airship coordinating perimeteres etc. Keep it safe.

[Rally]

On a t-stop I would agree less is more. The only problem I have with that is that if some moron does tag me and my lights are not on, I will 1) be violating policy, and 2)the liabilty when the moron sues me and the department because he said he could'nt see me. We have gone to all LED lights in all blue and they are almost too bright at night...I can hear the truckers bitch on the CB when I make stops on 95 at night. And I can kind of agree because it's tough following another copper running code with those things blasting away.

Why don't you guys program your light bars (strobes) to not flash to the rear while the car is in drive. Our department has done that, and then when the car is put in park, the rear strobes are activated again. People don't need to see your lights after you pass them anyway. I'm only talking about strobes here people, not every light facing to the rear.

[e-man]

Hence why I call them "drunk bug zappers"
Beautifully said. I got a good laugh :D

[DOGCHOW]

ALWAYS shut off my lights. Unless I have a directional on to move traffic over the lightbar is off on a stop. Two things seem to happen, especially at night.

1. Everyone wants to know what is going on so they slow and look, causing everyone to do the same and yep... more fender benders.

2. Drunks LOVE lights. many of our officers have been hit in the past by drunks that just focus on the lights.


I agree, but if god forbid, you still get hit when they are off....will your dept back you if you were conducting the stop without your lights????? damage to unit...accident review board type of thing????