NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1971 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 5

HOUSE BILL 23

 

 

AN ACT TO AMEND G.S. 20-145 REGARDING APPLICABILITY OF SPEED LIMITS TO POLICE, FIRE DEPARTMENT VEHICLES AND PRIVATE AND PUBLIC AMBULANCES SO AS TO INCLUDE RESCUE SQUAD EMERGENCY SERVICE VEHICLES.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:

 

Section 1.  G.S. 20-145 is amended by inserting immediately after the word "ambulances" in line 6, the words "and rescue squad emergency service vehicles". G.S. 20-145, after amendment, will then read as follows:

"§ 20-145.  When speed limit not applicable. — The speed limitations set forth in this Article shall not apply to vehicles when operated with due regard for safety under the direction of the police in the chase or apprehension of violators of the law or of persons charged with or suspected of any such violation, nor to fire department or fire patrol vehicles when traveling in response to a fire alarm, nor to public or private ambulances and rescue squad emergency service vehicles when traveling in emergencies, nor to vehicles operated by the duly authorized officers, agents and employees of the North Carolina Utilities Commission when traveling in performance of their duties in regulating and checking the traffic and speed of buses, trucks, motor vehicles and motor vehicle carriers subject to the regulations and jurisdiction of the North Carolina Utilities Commission. This exemption shall not, however, protect the driver of any such vehicle from the consequence of a reckless disregard of the safety of others."

Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective upon its ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 12th day of February, 1971.