First Substitute H.B. 20

Senator Todd Weiler proposes the following substitute bill:


             1     
EMERGENCY VEHICLE OPERATOR DUTY OF CARE

             2     
REVISIONS

             3     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Brad L. Dee

             6     
Senate Sponsor: Todd Weiler

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill modifies the Traffic Code by amending provisions relating to the duty of care
             11      for an emergency vehicle operator.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    provides that the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle owes no duty of care
             15      to a person who is:
             16              .    a suspect in the commission of a crime and evading, fleeing, or otherwise
             17      attempting to elude the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle; or
             18              .    in a motor vehicle with the suspect, unless it is proven by a preponderance of
             19      the evidence that the person's presence in the motor vehicle was involuntary and
             20      the person's participation in evading, fleeing, or attempting to elude was
             21      involuntary;
             22          .    provides that an operator of an authorized emergency vehicle may be held liable for
             23      a fleeing suspect's injuries in certain circumstances;
             24          .    provides that if an operator of an authorized emergency vehicle complies with
             25      certain requirements while operating the authorized emergency vehicle, the operator


             26      shall be deemed to have met the operator's duty to act as a reasonably prudent emergency
             27      vehicle operator in like circumstances; and
             28          .    makes technical corrections.
             29      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             30          None
             31      Other Special Clauses:
             32          None
             33      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             34      AMENDS:
             35           41-6a-212 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 382
             36     
             37      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             38          Section 1. Section 41-6a-212 is amended to read:
             39           41-6a-212. Emergency vehicles -- Policy regarding vehicle pursuits --
             40      Applicability of traffic law to highway work vehicles -- Exemptions.
             41          (1) Subject to Subsections (2) through (5), the operator of an authorized emergency
             42      vehicle may exercise the privileges granted under this section when:
             43          (a) responding to an emergency call;
             44          (b) in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law; or
             45          (c) responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm.
             46          (2) The operator of an authorized emergency vehicle may:
             47          (a) park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of this chapter;
             48          (b) proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as may
             49      be necessary for safe operation;
             50          (c) exceed the maximum speed limits, unless prohibited by a local highway authority
             51      under Section 41-6a-208 ; or
             52          (d) disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified
             53      directions.
             54          (3) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(b), privileges granted under this section to
             55      the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle, who is not involved in a vehicle pursuit,
             56      apply only when:


             57          (i) the operator of the vehicle sounds an audible signal under Section 41-6a-1625 ; or
             58          (ii) uses a visual signal with emergency lights in accordance with rules made under
             59      Section 41-6a-1601 , which is visible from in front of the vehicle.
             60          (b) An operator of an authorized emergency vehicle may exceed the maximum speed
             61      limit when engaged in normal patrolling activities with the purpose of identifying and
             62      apprehending violators.
             63          (4) Privileges granted under this section to the operator of an authorized emergency
             64      vehicle involved in any vehicle pursuit apply only when:
             65          (a) the operator of the vehicle:
             66          (i) sounds an audible signal under Section 41-6a-1625 ; and
             67          (ii) uses a visual signal with emergency lights in accordance with rules made under
             68      Section 41-6a-1601 , which is visible from in front of the vehicle;
             69          (b) the public agency employing the operator of the vehicle has, in effect, a written
             70      policy which describes the manner and circumstances in which any vehicle pursuit should be
             71      conducted and terminated;
             72          (c) the operator of the vehicle has been trained in accordance with the written policy
             73      described in Subsection (4)(b); and
             74          (d) the pursuit policy of the public agency is in conformance with standards established
             75      under Subsection (5).
             76          (5) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
             77      Department of Public Safety shall make rules providing minimum standards for all emergency
             78      pursuit policies that are adopted by public agencies authorized to operate emergency pursuit
             79      vehicles.
             80          (6) [The] (a) Except as provided in Subsection (6)(b), the privileges granted under this
             81      section do not relieve the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle of the duty to act as a
             82      reasonably prudent emergency vehicle operator in like circumstances.
             83          (b) The operator of an authorized emergency vehicle owes no duty of care under this
             84      Subsection (6) to a person who is:
             85          (i) (A) a suspect in the commission of a crime; and
             86          (B) evading, fleeing, or otherwise attempting to elude the operator of an authorized
             87      emergency vehicle; or


             88          (ii) in a motor vehicle with the suspect described in Subsection (6)(b)(i), unless it is
             89      proven by a preponderance of the evidence that:
             90          (A) the person's presence in the vehicle was involuntary; and
             91          (B) the person's participation in evading, fleeing, or attempting to elude was
             92      involuntary.
             93          (c) (i) Notwithstanding Subsection (6)(b), an operator of an authorized emergency
             94      vehicle may be held liable for a fleeing suspect's injuries if the operator of an authorized
             95      emergency vehicle had actual intent to cause harm to the fleeing suspect in an act that was
             96      unrelated to the legitimate object of the arrest.
             97          (ii) "Actual intent" under this Subsection (6)(c) means a malicious motive to cause
             98      injury, not merely an intent to do the act purportedly resulting in the injury.
             99          (d) If an operator of an authorized emergency vehicle complies with the requirements
             100      described in Subsections (4) and (5) while operating the authorized emergency vehicle, the
             101      operator shall be deemed to have met the operator's duty to act as a reasonably prudent
             102      emergency vehicle operator in like circumstances.
             103          (7) Except for Sections 41-6a-210 , 41-6a-502 , and 41-6a-528 , this chapter does not
             104      apply to persons, motor vehicles, and other equipment while actually engaged in work on the
             105      surface of a highway.


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