A. Pushcarts, Animals, Animal Drawn Vehicles: Every person propelling any pushcart or riding an animal upon a roadway, and every person driving any animal drawn vehicle shall be subject to the provisions of this title applicable to the driver of any vehicle, except those provisions of this title which by their very nature can have no application. (1992 Code § 15-1809)
B. Public Officers And Employees:
1. This title shall apply to the driver of any vehicle owned by or used in the service of the United States government, any state, county, city or other governmental unit or agency, as well as to other vehicles. No such driver shall violate any of the provisions of this title, except as otherwise permitted in this title or by state statute.
2. This title shall not apply to the military forces of the United States and organizations of the national guard when performing any military duty. (1992 Code § 15-1805)
C. Authorized Emergency Vehicles:
1. The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency call or when in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law or ordinance or when responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm, may exercise the privileges set forth in this subsection, but subject to the conditions herein stated.
2. The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle may:
a. Park or stand irrespective of the provisions of this title;
b. Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation;
c. Exceed the maximum speed limits so long as he does not endanger life or property; and
d. Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specific directions. (1992 Code § 15-1806)
3. a. The exemptions herein granted to the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle shall apply only when the driver is properly and lawfully making use of an audible signal or of flashing red or blue lights or a combination of flashing red and blue lights meeting the requirements of 47 Oklahoma Statutes section 12-218; except, that an authorized emergency vehicle operated as a police vehicle need not be equipped with or display a red or blue light visible from in front of the vehicle. This subsection C3a shall not be construed as requiring a peace officer operating a police vehicle properly and lawfully in response to a crime in progress to use audible signals.
b. The exemptions in subsection C2d of this section shall be granted to a law enforcement officer operating an authorized emergency vehicle for law enforcement purposes without using audible and visual signals required by this subsection as long as the action does not endanger life or property if the officer is following a suspected violator of the law with probable cause to believe that:
(1) Knowledge of the presence of the officer will cause the suspect to:
(A) Destroy or lose evidence of a suspected felony;
(B) End a suspected continuing felony before the officer has obtained sufficient evidence to establish grounds for arrest; or
(C) Evade apprehension or identification of the suspect or the vehicle of the suspect; or
(2) Because of traffic conditions, vehicles moving in response to the audible or visual signals may increase the potential for a collision.
The exceptions granted in this subsection C3b shall not apply to an officer who is in actual pursuit of a person who is eluding or attempting to elude the officer in violation of section 6-6E-6 of this code. (1992 Code § 15-1806; amd. 2006 Code)
4. This subsection shall not relieve the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons, nor protect the driver from the consequences of his reckless disregard for the safety of others. (1992 Code § 15-1806)
D. Public Works Vehicles:
1. Unless specifically made applicable, the provisions of this title shall not apply to persons, motor vehicles and other equipment while actually engaged in work upon the surface of a street, or to persons, motor vehicles and other equipment while actually engaged in construction, maintenance or repair of public utilities. All highway and public utility operations shall be protected by adequate warning signs, signals, devices or flagmen, but the provisions of this title shall apply to such persons and vehicles when traveling to and from such work. (1992 Code § 15-1807; amd. 2006 Code)
2. This subsection shall not relieve any driver exempted by this subsection from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons, nor from the consequences of driving while intoxicated. (1992 Code § 15-1807)