H.B. 20

This document includes House Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Tue, Feb 4, 2014 at 1:03 PM by lerror. -->              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      Committee Note:
             10          The Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee recommended this bill.
             11      General Description:
             12          This bill modifies Title 41, Chapter 6a, Traffic Code, by amending provisions relating
             13      to the duty of care for an emergency vehicle operator.
             14      Highlighted Provisions:
             15          This bill:
             16          .    provides that the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle owes no duty of care
             17      to a person who is:
             18              .    a suspect in the commission of a crime and evading, fleeing, or otherwise
             19      attempting to elude the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle; or
             20              .    in a motor vehicle with the suspect, unless H. [ that person can prove ]
             20a      it is proven .H by a
             21      preponderance of the evidence that H.:
             21a           (A) .H the person's presence in the motor vehicle
             22      was involuntary; H. and
             22a          (B) the person's participation in evading, fleeing, or attempting to elude was
             22b      involuntary..H
             23          .    provides that an operator of an authorized emergency vehicle may be held liable for
             24      a fleeing suspect's injuries in certain circumstances; and
             25          .    makes technical corrections.
             26      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             27          None


             28      Other Special Clauses:
             29          None
             30      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             31      AMENDS:
             32           41-6a-212 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 382
             33     
             34      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             35          Section 1. Section 41-6a-212 is amended to read:
             36           41-6a-212. Emergency vehicles -- Policy regarding vehicle pursuits --
             37      Applicability of traffic law to highway work vehicles -- Exemptions.
             38          (1) Subject to Subsections (2) through (5), the operator of an authorized emergency
             39      vehicle may exercise the privileges granted under this section when:
             40          (a) responding to an emergency call;
             41          (b) in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law; or
             42          (c) responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm.
             43          (2) The operator of an authorized emergency vehicle may:
             44          (a) park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of this chapter;
             45          (b) proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as may
             46      be necessary for safe operation;
             47          (c) exceed the maximum speed limits, unless prohibited by a local highway authority
             48      under Section 41-6a-208 ; or
             49          (d) disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified
             50      directions.
             51          (3) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(b), privileges granted under this section to
             52      the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle, who is not involved in a vehicle pursuit,
             53      apply only when:
             54          (i) the operator of the vehicle sounds an audible signal under Section 41-6a-1625 ; or
             55          (ii) uses a visual signal with emergency lights in accordance with rules made under
             56      Section 41-6a-1601 , which is visible from in front of the vehicle.
             57          (b) An operator of an authorized emergency vehicle may exceed the maximum speed
             58      limit when engaged in normal patrolling activities with the purpose of identifying and


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


             90      emergency vehicle had actual intent to cause harm to the fleeing suspect in an act that was
             91      unrelated to the legitimate object of the arrest.
             92          (ii) "Actual intent" under this Subsection (6)(c) means a malicious motive to cause
             93      injury, not merely an intent to do the act purportedly resulting in the injury.
             94          (7) Except for Sections 41-6a-210 , 41-6a-502 , and 41-6a-528 , this chapter does not
             95      apply to persons, motor vehicles, and other equipment while actually engaged in work on the
             96      surface of a highway.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 11-22-13 10:22 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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