Do you always have to pull over in MS for police blue lights? Here’s what the law says
Imagine you’re driving down a highway in Mississippi, then you look at your rearview mirror and see shining police blue lights. Your stomach drops and you wonder what you were doing wrong.
Then, just as you start to slow down and pull over, the police vehicle passes you and keeps on driving.
You feel relieved, but you’re also left wondering why the police vehicle had lights on if no one was being pulled over.
Well, there’s a different meaning to police lights depending on whether they’re flashing or solid, and that means you don’t always have to pull over when you see them.
Here’s what to know when you see police blue lights.
What do flashing police blue lights mean?
Flashing police lights are used to signify that there’s an emergency — whether it be someone breaking the law on the road or police needing to get through on their way to a crime scene, according to Mississippi law.
These blinking lights warn other vehicles to slow down and yield the right-of-way, the law states.
Only certain emergency vehicles are legally allowed to have flashing lights, including the following:
- Police vehicles
- Ambulance and special use EMS vehicles
- Emergency management vehicles
- Vehicles operated by a U.S. rural mail carrier
- State and local sanitation vehicles
- Vehicles being used to lead and facilitate military funeral processions
What do solid police blue and red lights mean?
Solid police lights do not mean drivers have to pull over or stop. These lights, also known as cruise lights, enhance visibility while police officers are on patrol.
What is Mississippi’s move-over law?
Under Mississippi’s move-over law, drivers must “yield the right-of-way” and “immediately” pull to the right side of the road, or as close as possible, and stop for the emergency vehicles that are signaling an emergency by siren or flashing lights until it passes.
