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Oregon Revised Statutes

Or. Rev. Stat. § 820.320 (2026)

Illegal operation of emergency vehicle or ambulance; penalty

✓ current as of May 2026
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      820.320 Illegal operation of emergency vehicle or ambulance; penalty. (1) A person commits the offense of illegal operation of an emergency vehicle or ambulance if the person is the driver of an emergency vehicle or ambulance and the person violates any of the following:

      (a) The driver of an emergency vehicle or ambulance may only exercise privileges granted under ORS 820.300 when responding to an emergency call or when responding to, but not upon returning from, an emergency. The driver of an emergency vehicle may exercise privileges granted under ORS 820.300 when in pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law.

      (b) The driver of an emergency vehicle or ambulance must use a visual signal with appropriate warning lights when the driver is exercising privileges granted under ORS 820.300.

      (c) In addition to any required visual signal, the driver of an emergency vehicle or ambulance must make use of an audible signal meeting the requirements under ORS 820.370 when the driver is proceeding past a stop light or stop sign under privileges granted by ORS 820.300 (1)(b).

      (d) A driver of an emergency vehicle or ambulance who is exercising privileges granted under ORS 820.300 by parking or standing an emergency vehicle in disregard of a regulation or ordinance prohibiting that parking, stopping or standing, shall not use the audible signal.

      (e) In exercising the privileges under ORS 820.300 (1)(e) relating to buses and bus safety lights, the driver of an emergency vehicle or ambulance must first stop the vehicle and then must:

      (A) Determine that no passengers of the bus remain on the roadway; and

      (B) Proceed with caution.

      (f) In proceeding past any stop light or stop sign under the privileges granted by ORS 820.300, the driver of an emergency vehicle or ambulance must slow down as may be necessary for safe operation.

      (g) The driver of an emergency vehicle or ambulance must not exceed any designated speed limit to an extent which endangers persons or property.

      (2) The driver of an emergency vehicle that is operated as an emergency police vehicle is not required to use either visual signal or the audible signal as described in this section in order to exercise the privileges granted in ORS 820.300 when it reasonably appears to the driver that the use of either or both would prevent or hamper the apprehension or detection of a violator of a statute, ordinance or regulation.

      (3) The offense described in this section, illegal operation of an emergency vehicle or ambulance, is a Class B traffic violation. [1983 c.338 §759; 1985 c.16 §364; 1995 c.209 §1]

 

      Note: The amendments to 820.320 by section 18, chapter 278, Oregon Laws 2025, become operative January 1, 2027. See section 24, chapter 278, Oregon Laws 2025. The text that is operative on and after January 1, 2027, is set forth for the user’s convenience.

      820.320. (1) A person commits the offense of illegal operation of an emergency vehicle, organ transport vehicle or ambulance if the person is the driver of an emergency vehicle, organ transport vehicle or ambulance and the person violates any of the following:

      (a) The driver of an emergency vehicle, organ transport vehicle or ambulance may only exercise privileges granted under ORS 820.300 when responding to an emergency call or when responding to, but not upon returning from, an emergency. The driver of an emergency vehicle may exercise privileges granted under ORS 820.300 when in pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law.

      (b) The driver of an emergency vehicle, organ transport vehicle or ambulance must use a visual signal with appropriate warning lights when the driver is exercising privileges granted under ORS 820.300.

      (c) In addition to any required visual signal, the driver of an emergency vehicle, organ transport vehicle or ambulance must make use of an audible signal meeting the requirements under ORS 820.370 when the driver is proceeding past a stop light or stop sign under privileges granted by ORS 820.300 (1)(b).

      (d) A driver of an emergency vehicle, organ transport vehicle or ambulance who is exercising privileges granted under ORS 820.300 by parking or standing an emergency vehicle in disregard of a regulation or ordinance prohibiting that parking, stopping or standing, shall not use the audible signal.

      (e) In exercising the privileges under ORS 820.300 (1)(e) relating to buses and bus safety lights, the driver of an emergency vehicle, organ transport vehicle or ambulance must first stop the vehicle and then must:

      (A) Determine that no passengers of the bus remain on the roadway; and

      (B) Proceed with caution.

      (f) In proceeding past any stop light or stop sign under the privileges granted by ORS 820.300, the driver of an emergency vehicle, organ transport vehicle or ambulance must slow down as may be necessary for safe operation.

      (g) The driver of an emergency vehicle, organ transport vehicle or ambulance must not exceed any designated speed limit to an extent which endangers persons or property.

      (2) The driver of an emergency vehicle that is operated as an emergency police vehicle is not required to use either visual signal or the audible signal as described in this section in order to exercise the privileges granted in ORS 820.300 when it reasonably appears to the driver that the use of either or both would prevent or hamper the apprehension or detection of a violator of a statute, ordinance or regulation.

      (3) The offense described in this section, illegal operation of an emergency vehicle, organ transport vehicle or ambulance, is a Class B traffic violation.

 

(Records)

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1989–2022 · leading case: Ensign v. Marion Cnty., 914 P.2d 5 (Or. Ct. App. 1996).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
Ensign v. Marion Cnty., 914 P.2d 5 (Or. Ct. App. 1996). · cites it 4× “"* * * * * "(2) The provisions of this section: "(a) Do not relieve the driver of an emergency vehicle * * * from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all other persons.”
Lowrimore v. Dimmitt, 781 P.2d 411 (Or. Ct. App. 1989). · cites it 3× “300(1) provides: “Subject to conditions, limitations, prohibitions and penalties established for emergency vehicle drivers under ORS 820.320 and for ambulance drivers under ORS 820.”
Dee Ex Rel. McDonald v. Pomeroy, 818 P.2d 523 (Or. Ct. App. 1991). · cites it 2× “300 and ORS 820.320 2 by engaging in a chase that unreasonably placed persons at risk of injury; and (4) chasing the car toward a known obstruction.”
State v. Donaldson, 510 P.3d 943 (Or. Ct. App. 2022). · cites it 5× “300 describes priv- ileges and exemptions from specific traffic rules for drivers of emergency vehicles,3 and ORS 820.320 describes the cir- cumstances in which an emergency vehicle driver may (and may not) exercise those privileges.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 820.320(1) — 1 case
Lowrimore v. Dimmitt, 781 P.2d 411 (Or. Ct. App. 1989). “300(1) provides: “Subject to conditions, limitations, prohibitions and penalties established for emergency vehicle drivers under ORS 820.320 and for ambulance drivers under ORS 820.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 820.320(1)(a) — 1 case
State v. Donaldson, 510 P.3d 943 (Or. Ct. App. 2022). “300 describes priv- ileges and exemptions from specific traffic rules for drivers of emergency vehicles,3 and ORS 820.320 describes the cir- cumstances in which an emergency vehicle driver may (and may not) exercise those privileges.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 820.320(1)(b) — 1 case
Ensign v. Marion Cnty., 914 P.2d 5 (Or. Ct. App. 1996). “"* * * * * "(2) The provisions of this section: "(a) Do not relieve the driver of an emergency vehicle * * * from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all other persons.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 820.320(l)(b) — 1 case
Ensign v. Marion Cnty., 914 P.2d 5 (Or. Ct. App. 1996). “"* * * * * "(2) The provisions of this section: "(a) Do not relieve the driver of an emergency vehicle * * * from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all other persons.”
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