A. Public Ways: The provisions of this title shall apply to every street, highway, alley, roadway, sidewalk, driveway, park area, every other public way either within or outside the corporate limits of the city, the use of which the city has jurisdiction and authority to regulate, including, but not limited to:
1. Those dedicated to or acquired by the public for public use.
2. Those upon land owned by the city.
3. Those upon land owned by any other governmental unit, but the regulation of the use of which has been given to the city.
4. Those upon private property, the regulation of the use of which has been given to the city. (1990 Code § 15-102)
B. 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. (1990 Code § 15-111)
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 when responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm, may exercise the privilege 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 limit so long as speeding does not endanger life or property;
d. Disregard regulations governing direction of movement; and
e. Disregard regulations governing turning in specified directions.
3. 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 C3 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.
4. The exemptions in subsections C2c and C2e 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:
a. Knowledge of the presence of the officer will cause the suspect to:
(1) Destroy or lose evidence of a suspected felony;
(2) End a suspected continuing felony before the officer has obtained sufficient evidence to establish grounds for arrest; or
(3) Evade apprehension or identification of the suspect or the vehicle of the suspect; or
b. 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 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 21 Oklahoma Statutes section 540A.
5. The provisions of 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 shall such provisions protect the driver from the consequences of reckless disregard for the safety of others. (1990 Code § 15-113; amd. 2006 Code)