You must know a few things if you’re interested in purchasing police flashing lights. Do you know how you’ll use them?

Do you know where to use them? Technically, all states prohibit using flashing color lights on vehicles. This includes non-traditional lights such as RGB whip lights and Underglow Rock Lights.

Are you wondering why? It’s because as if you’re impersonating police officers or their vehicles. However, it depends on the situation.

For example, if you own private land and if you’re driving on it, then you have the liberty to decorate your vehicle as you need.

Likewise, some instances let you have lights of your choice. In this blog, we’ll discuss a lot about it.

Most of us think that civilians can use police flashing lights without much hassles and it’s pretty easy to understand.

Above all, police lights are for emergency use and can be used as per the situation. It also depends on the person driving the vehicle, right? But that’s not the case.

The reality is a bit different. In this article, let’s see whether civilians can use flashing lights that police use. We will see the legality of flashlights on civilian cars. Let’s dig a little deeper to understand more about it.

What Are The Uses Of Red and Blue Flashing Lights?

When thinking about police lights or warning light bars, what are the colors that cross your mind?

Most probably, they must be Blue and Red. Anyways, they are not limited to those two colors, rather there are many more colors.

Those colors are used on Australian roads for various applications. Using Blue and Red police lights could be legal, but it’s very rare. 

Amber Warning Lights For Private And Commercial Use

Not all emergency or warning lights are Blue or Red. The common usage of warning lights is Amber, or it’s often called yellow LED lights. Anyone can utilize Amber lights based on their course of work. One can commonly see these with:

• Trade Utes
• Security 
• Road Works
• And on lawnmowers that you see on the roadside 

It’s ideal to use Amber on non-emergency vehicles.

Green and Amber Warning Lights For Local Councils 

We’re going to discuss next about Green color usage. There are various local council officers, including Parking officials, Park Rangers, and Fisheries. They use Green.

Certain states allow privately operated companies to use these colors. However, most regions don’t allow the usage of Green except for local council vehicles. 

Magenta Warning Lights For the Department Of Transport

If you drive a truck, you may be aware of the color we’re going to discuss now. It’s the purple emergency light. The industry terms it as Magenta warning lights.

The perimeter lighting and magenta lightbars are usually exclusively utilized by the State Traffic Office. For example, QLD Transport. 

Emergency Lights In Blue And Red For Volunteer Rural Fire And SES

This is actually a bit tricky. In Australia, the SES personnel and volunteer firefighters are still civilians.

However, due to this, they get the authority to use certain restricted emergency lights. But it should be for work purposes or in other words, official duties. You can take volunteer RFS firefighters in QLD as an example. 

These ‘civilians’ must respond with sirens and lights when they are on duty because it’s a part of their role. However, all of these civilians don’t know for sure that they can and have permission to utilize their lights.

But there’s another important factor. Different states and state organizations can have different laws. Once again, let’s consider the QLD example for SES vehicles.

These vehicles are utilized with Red/Blue lights, but they don’t have siren units. They also don’t have the authority to use them when driving. 

For Private Use? Consider Any Color You Prefer!

Well, this is what you wanted to know, right? Are you planning to take your car off-road? Or are you thinking of using police flashing lights on privately owned land such as drag races, car races, and so on?

Interestingly, there are various reasons to do so. In almost all states, it’s actually allowed to and is legal to use emergency lights. This includes police flashing lights too.

However, the usage is restricted to private lands, so as long as you’re not seen on public roads, everything is good to go.

For instance, assume that you took your private vehicle for a race on a private race track that allowed flashing lights. If you abide by the state’s law, you don’t have to worry about getting any fines.

Even companies are allowed to use various flashing lights. For example, commercial buildings can use caution light bars, so that they can attract more customers.

Likewise, farmers use police flashing lights for their ATVs and tractors. They consider it as the best warning light.

However, it’s a must to stay in line with the rule of using these lights only on private land. As long as you follow it, you’re not going to fall into any trouble.