(a) Whenever any truck, passenger bus, truck tractor, trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer is disabled upon the traveled portion of any highway or the shoulder thereof outside of any municipality at any time when lighted lamps are required on vehicles the driver of such vehicle shall display the following warning devices upon the highway during the time the vehicle is so disabled on the highway except as provided in subsection (b) of this section:
(1) A lighted fusee or other flare shall be immediately placed on the roadway at the traffic side of the motor vehicle unless electric lanterns are displayed.
(2) Within the burning period of the fusee or other flare and as promptly as possible three lighted flares (pot torches) or three electric lanterns shall be placed on the roadway as follows: One approximately 100 feet in advance of the vehicle; one at a distance of approximately 100 feet to the rear of the vehicle, each in the center of the lane of traffic occupied by the disabled vehicle; and one at the traffic side of the vehicle approximately 10 feet rearward or forward thereof.
(b) Whenever any vehicle used in the transportation of inflammable liquid in bulk or transporting compressed inflammable gases is disabled upon a highway at any time or place mentioned in subsection (a) of this section, the driver of such vehicle shall display upon the roadway one red electric lantern to be immediately placed on the roadway at the traffic side of the vehicle and two other red electric lanterns to be placed to the front and rear of the vehicle in the same manner prescribed in subsection (a) above for flares. When a vehicle of a type specified in this subsection is disabled, the use of flares, fusees, or any signal produced by flame as warning signals is prohibited.
(c) Whenever any vehicle of a type referred to in this section is disabled upon the traveled portion of a highway or the shoulder thereof, outside of any municipality at any time when the display of fusees, flares, or electric lanterns is not required, the driver of such vehicle shall display two red flags upon the roadway in the lane of traffic occupied by the disabled vehicle, one at a distance of approximately 100 feet in advance of the vehicle, and one at a distance of approximately 100 feet to the rear of the vehicle.
(d) In the alternative, it shall be deemed a compliance with this section in the event three portable reflector units on standards of a type approved by the department are displayed at the times and under the conditions specified in this section either during the daytime or at nighttime and such portable reflector units shall be placed on the roadway in the locations prescribed above for the placing of electric lanterns and lighted flares.
(e) The flares, fusees, lanterns, and flags to be displayed as required in this section shall conform to the requirements of Section 32-5-220.
Last modified: May 3, 2021