Effective Nov. 15, 2022, Vehicle and Traffic Law (VTL) is amended in relation to affixing and using green lights on certain hazard vehicles designed for ice and snow removal. Paragraph 5 of subdivision 41 of VTL section 375 is amended to allow one or more green lights or combination green and amber lights to be affixed to hazard vehicles designed for ice and snow removal that is owned and operated by the state or by a county, city, town or village. Such green lights may not be displayed when engaged in hazardous operation unless such vehicles also display amber lights.

Prior to this change in VTL, green lights were authorized only for a member of a volunteer ambulance service, or on a vehicle owned by a member of an ambulance service, if authorized in writing by the chief officer of the service.

It should be noted that the new VTL applies only to municipally owned and operated ice and snow removal vehicles and does not include private operators that normally plow snow from driveways and parking lots.

The new law also amends subdivision (b) of VTL section 1144-a to require motorists to use due care to avoid colliding with such hazard vehicles that are parked, stopped, or standing on the shoulder or any portion of highway and display amber, green or amber/green combination lights. On controlled access highways, due care includes moving from the lane closest to where such vehicle is parked, stopped or standing on the shoulder or any portion of the highway.