I am a member of a volunteer first aid squad, and my captain told me that the only vehicles legally allowed to ignore traffic signals are US Postal Service vehicles. Is this true?
2006-10-22 14:42:07 · 15 answers · asked by Austin 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I am a member of a volunteer first aid squad, and my captain told me that the only vehicles legally allowed by the federal government to ignore traffic signals are US Postal Service vehicles. Is this true? Apparantly it is some federal law created back in the 1800s when important messages to the president were delivered by US Mail, so delaying any US mail delivery was considered a crime.
2006-10-22 14:50:21 · update #1
Can someone find the law written in the books regarding this?
2006-10-22 14:53:18 · update #2
I've heard that asked before and was told it was true because of some old arcane law passed back in the 1800's. The mail had to get through. I think the law has been updated since though. The closest thing I could find that could be stretched into allowing that is Title 18 USC Sec. 1701 that states:
"Whoever knowingly and willfully obstructs or retards the passage of the mail, or any carrier or conveyance carrying the mail, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months,or both."
Again, this would be a stretch of an argument to use.
2006-10-22 15:33:29 · answer #1 · answered by Brett S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think there were traffic signals then!!!
There are several versions of urban myth about mail, vehicles, and carriers.
Did you know that you can be parked and hit by a postal truck and it's your fault?
Or a letter carrier can strike you then have you arrested for felony assault?
All are not true, but many years back could be applied under federal statutes to not delay mail.
There are still old codes on the books in different areas, but the impediment would have been putting traffic signal in the mails route in the first place.
Fire trucks that were horse drawn were exempt from the first mechanical signals in Chicago.
It stands to reason that others were added and included with the evolution of the signals.
2006-10-22 14:59:37 · answer #2 · answered by astroservus 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, and they can get a ticket for it, too. A U.S. Postal truck is owned by the federal government, but it is not an emergency vehicle. Most State traffic laws allow an "emergency vehicle exception" when it comes to violating traffic laws, but in most states, you must be in an emergency vehicle and even then you must have a justified reason (like an emergency) in order to blatantly violate a traffic law. While traffic laws do vary from State to State, their is no federal law allowing government vehicles to disregard State and local traffic laws without justification. In my own experience, I even known of local Police Officers being written speeding tickets in their own jurisdiction while driving a marked Police Vehicle. This usually occurs after local Police Officers have repeatedly abused traffic laws to the point that a high ranking police or city official decides to make an example out of a few of them.
2006-10-22 14:54:23 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Emergency vehicles do not generally include the postal services.
However, in an emergency, vehicles of any nature might be comonderred.Also, in emergencies, even the postal driver may have an emergency going on. The DOT could better be a source for you.
2006-10-22 14:47:26 · answer #4 · answered by ladyranger84 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only vehicles that are allowed not to obey traffic laws, but still have to use caution, are emergency vehicles. The US Postal Service is not an emergency vehicle.
2006-10-22 14:45:06 · answer #5 · answered by roxy 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As far as I know, they may have the right to do so, but never do it. The mail, government vehicles in convoy, and emergency vehicles do have the right of way over all other traffic.
2006-10-22 14:55:00 · answer #6 · answered by B H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Emergency response vehicles can do this as long as they exercise due care; but should there be an accident, they may still be found to be partly to blame. Certainly USPS vehicles have no exemptions.
2006-10-22 14:45:48 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Never hear that one before.Only emergency vehicles can and I don't think the Postal truck qualifies.
2006-10-22 14:48:25 · answer #8 · answered by eva b 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i dont think that they are allowed too. Technially any vehicle can run a red light just depends if they do it legally or not and get caught.
2006-10-22 14:51:16 · answer #9 · answered by fullerfyed 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. It may not still be the law, but it is true. It was always believed "the mail must go through."
2006-10-22 14:51:03 · answer #10 · answered by Fleur de Lis 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋