NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1979 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 552

HOUSE BILL 1201

 

 

AN ACT TO PROHIBIT PARKING IN DESIGNATED FIRE LANES IN SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOTS OR OTHER PUBLIC VEHICULAR AREAS.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  G.S. 20-162, as the same is found in Volume 1C of the General Statutes, 1978 Replacement, is amended by designating the existing paragraph subsection (a) and adding immediately following this paragraph a new paragraph designated as subsection (b) to read as follows:

"(b)      No person shall park a vehicle or permit it to stand, whether attended or unattended, upon any public vehicular area, street, highway or roadway in any area designated as a fire lane. This prohibition includes designated fire lanes in shopping center or mall parking lots and all other public vehicular areas. The prima facie rule of evidence created by G.S. 20-162.1 is applicable to prosecutions for violation of this section. The owner of a vehicle parked in violation of this subsection shall be deemed to have appointed any State, county or municipal law enforcement officer as his agent for the purpose of arranging for the transportation and safe storage of such vehicle. No law enforcement officer removing such a vehicle shall be held criminally or civilly liable in any way for any acts or omissions arising out of or caused by carrying out or enforcing any provisions of this subsection, unless the conduct of the officer amounts to wanton conduct or intentional wrongdoing."

Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1979.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 11th day of May, 1979.