§ 20-162. Parking in front of private driveway, fire hydrant, fire station, intersection of curb lines or fire lane. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 20‑162.  Parking infront of private driveway, fire hydrant, fire station, intersection of curblines or fire lane.

(a)        No person shallpark a vehicle or permit it to stand, whether attended or unattended, upon ahighway in front of a private driveway or within 15 feet in either direction ofa fire hydrant or the entrance to a fire station, nor within 25 feet from theintersection of curb lines or if none, then within 15 feet of the intersectionof property lines at an intersection of highways; provided, that localauthorities may by ordinance decrease the distance within which a vehicle maypark in either direction of a fire hydrant.

(b)        No person shallpark a vehicle or permit it to stand, whether  attended or unattended, upon anypublic vehicular area, street, highway or roadway in any area designated as afire lane. This prohibition includes designated fire lanes in shopping centeror mall  parking lots and all other public vehicular areas. Provided, however, persons loading or unloading supplies or merchandise may park temporarily in afire lane located in a shopping center or mall parking lot as long as thevehicle is not left unattended. The prima facie rule of evidence created byG.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 deemedto have appointed any State, county or municipal law‑enforcement officeras his agent for the purpose of arranging for the transportation and safestorage of such vehicle. No law‑enforcement officer removing such avehicle shall be held criminally or civilly liable in any way for any acts oromissions arising out of or caused by carrying out or enforcing any provisionsof this subsection, unless the conduct of the officer amounts to wantonmisconduct or intentional wrongdoing. (1937, c. 407, s. 124; 1939,c. 111; 1979, c. 552; 1981, c. 574, s. 1.)