Chapter 067
2013 -- H 5775 AS AMENDED
Enacted 06/07/13
A N A C T
RELATING TO
MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES - TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES
Introduced By: Representative Edith H. Ajello
Date Introduced: February 28, 2013
It is enacted by the
General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 31-13-6 of the General Laws in Chapter
31-13 entitled "Traffic
Control Devices" is
hereby amended to read as follows:
31-13-6. Specifications
and meaning of traffic lights Meaning of traffic
control
signals. -- Whenever
traffic is controlled by traffic control signals exhibiting the words
"go",
"caution", or
"stop", or exhibiting different colored lights successively one at a
time, or with
arrows, the following colors only shall be used, and the
terms and lights shall indicate and apply
to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as follows:
(1) Green alone or
"go."
(i)
Vehicular traffic facing the signal may proceed straight through or turn right
or left
unless a sign at the place prohibits either a right or left
turn. But vehicular traffic, including
vehicles turning right or left, shall yield the right-of-way
to other vehicles and to pedestrians
lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at
the time the signal is exhibited.
(ii) Pedestrians
facing the signal may proceed across the roadway within any marked or
unmarked crosswalk.
(2) Yellow alone or
"caution" when shown following the green or "go" signal.
(i)
Vehicular traffic facing the signal is warned by it that the red or
"stop" signal will be
exhibited immediately afterwards, and the vehicular traffic
shall not enter or be crossing the
intersection when the red or "stop" signal is exhibited.
(ii) Pedestrians
facing the signal are advised by it that there is insufficient time to cross
the roadway, and any pedestrian then starting to cross
shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles.
(3) Red alone or
"stop."
(i)
Vehicular traffic facing the signal shall stop before entering the crosswalk on
the near
side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering
the intersection, and shall remain standing
until the green or "go" is shown alone, and shall
not, prior to reaching the intersection, make any
turn over or through private property in order to avoid
the signal. A right hand turn shall be
permitted after vehicular traffic reaches a complete stop, at
intersections when safety would
permit the a turn and no sign forbids it. Violations of this
section are subject to fines enumerated
in section 31-41.1-4.
(ii) No pedestrian
facing the signal shall enter the roadway unless he or she can do so
safely and without interfering with any vehicular traffic.
(4) Red with green
arrow.
(i)
Vehicular traffic facing the signal may cautiously enter the intersection only
to make
the movement indicated by the arrow, but shall yield the
right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully
within a crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the
intersection.
(ii) No pedestrian
facing the signal shall enter the roadway unless he or she can do so
safely and without interfering with any vehicular traffic.
(5) Red arrow.
(i)
Vehicular traffic facing the signal shall stop and shall remain standing until
the red
arrow turns green.
Traffic control
signals shall have the following meanings for vehicles and pedestrians:
(1) Steady green
signals shall have the following meanings:
(i)
Vehicular traffic facing a circular green signal is permitted to proceed
straight through
or turn right or left or make a U-turn movement, except
as such movement is prohibited by lane-
use signs, turn prohibition signs, lane markings,
separate turn signal, or other traffic control
devices.
(A) Vehicular
traffic, including vehicles turning right or left or making a U-turn
movement, shall yield the right-of-way to:
(I) Pedestrians
lawfully within an associated crosswalk; and
(II) Other vehicles lawfully
within the intersection.
(B) Vehicular traffic
turning left or making a U-turn movement to the left shall yield the
right-of-way to other vehicles approaching from the opposite
direction so closely as to constitute
an immediate hazard during the time when such turning
vehicle is moving across or within the
intersection.
(ii) Pedestrians
facing a circular green signal, unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian
signal or other traffic control device are permitted to
proceed across the roadway within any
marked or unmarked associated crosswalk. The pedestrian
shall yield the right-of-way to vehicles
lawfully within the intersection or so close as to create an
immediate hazard at the time that the
green signal is first displayed.
(iii) Vehicular
traffic facing a green arrow signal, displayed alone or in combination with
another signal is permitted to cautiously enter the
intersection only to make the movement
indicated by such arrow, or such other movement as is permitted
by other signals displayed at the
same time.
(A) Vehicular
traffic, including vehicles turning right or left or making a U-turn
movement, shall yield the right-of-way to:
(I) Pedestrians
lawfully within an associated crosswalk; and
(II) Other vehicles
lawfully within the intersection.
(iv)
Pedestrians facing a green arrow signal, unless otherwise
directed by a pedestrian
signal or other traffic control device, shall not cross the
roadway.
(2) Steady yellow
signals shall have the following meanings:
(i)
Vehicular traffic facing a steady circular yellow signal is warned that the
related green
movement is being terminated and that a steady red signal will
be displayed immediately
thereafter when vehicular traffic shall not enter the intersection.
The rules set forth concerning
vehicular operation under the movement(s) being terminated
shall continue to apply while the
steady circular yellow signal indication is displayed.
(ii) Vehicular
traffic facing a steady yellow arrow signal is warned that the related green
arrow movement or the related flashing arrow movement is
being terminated. The rules set forth
concerning vehicular operation under the movement(s) being
terminated shall continue to apply
while the steady yellow arrow signal is displayed.
(iii) Pedestrians
facing a steady circular yellow or yellow arrow signal, unless otherwise
directed by a pedestrian signal or other traffic control
device shall not start to cross the roadway.
(3) Steady red
signals shall have the following meanings:
(i)
Vehicular traffic facing a steady circular red signal, unless entering the
intersection to
make another movement permitted by another signal, shall
stop at a clearly marked stop line; but
if there is no stop line, traffic shall stop before
entering the crosswalk on the near side of the
intersection; or if there is no crosswalk, then before entering
the intersection; and shall remain
stopped until a signal to proceed is displayed, or as
provided below:
(A) Except when a
traffic control device is in a place prohibiting a turn on red or a steady
red arrow signal is displayed, vehicular traffic facing a
steady circular red signal is permitted to
enter the intersection to turn right. The right to proceed
with the turn shall be subject to the rules
applicable after making a stop at a stop sign.
(ii) Vehicular
traffic facing a steady red arrow signal shall not enter the intersection to
make the movement indicated by the arrow, unless entering
the intersection to make another
movement permitted by another signal, and shall stop at a
clearly marked stop line; but if there is
no stop line, before entering the crosswalk on the near
side of the intersection; or if there is no
crosswalk, then before entering the intersection; and shall
remain stopped until a signal or other
traffic control device permitting the movement indicated by
such red arrow is displayed.
(iii) Pedestrians facing
a steady circular red or steady red arrow signal shall not enter the
roadway, unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian signal or
other traffic control device.
(4) Flashing yellow
signals shall have the following meanings:
(i)
Vehicular traffic on an approach to an intersection facing a flashing circular
yellow
signal is permitted to cautiously enter the intersection to
proceed straight through or turn right or
left or make a U-turn except as such movement is
prohibited by lane-use signs, turn prohibition
signs, lane markings, turn signals, or other traffic
control devices.
(A) Such vehicular
traffic, including vehicles turning right or left or making a U-turn,
shall yield the right-of-way to:
(I) Pedestrians
lawfully within an associated crosswalk; and
(II) Other vehicles
lawfully within the intersection.
(B) Vehicular traffic
turning left or making a U-turn to the left shall yield the right-of-
way to other vehicles approaching from the opposite direction
so closely as to constitute an
immediate hazard during the time when such turning vehicle is
moving across or within the
intersection.
(2) When a flashing
circular yellow signal(s) is displayed as a beacon to supplement
another traffic control device, road users are notified that
there is a need to pay extra attention to
the message contained thereon or that the regulatory or
warning requirements of the other traffic
control device, which may not be applicable at all times, are
currently in force.
(3) Vehicular
traffic, on an approach to an intersection facing a flashing yellow arrow
signal, displayed alone or in combination with another
signal is permitted to cautiously enter the
intersection only to make the movement indicated by such arrow, or
other such movement as is
permitted by other signal displayed at the same time.
(i)
Vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning right or left or making a U-turn,
shall
yield the right-of-way to:
(A) Pedestrians
lawfully within an associated crosswalk; and
(B) Other vehicles
lawfully within the intersection.
(I) Vehicular traffic
turning left or making a U-turn to the left shall yield the right-of-way
to other vehicles approaching from the opposite
direction so closely as to constitute an immediate
hazard during the time when such turning vehicle is moving
across or within the intersection.
(4) Pedestrians
facing any flashing yellow signal at an intersection, unless otherwise
directed by a pedestrian signal or other traffic control
device are permitted to proceed across the
roadway within any marked or unmarked associated crosswalk.
Pedestrians shall yield the right-
of-way to vehicles lawfully within the intersection at the
time that the flashing yellow signal is
first displayed.
(5) Flashing red
signals shall have the following meanings:
(i)
Vehicular traffic, on an approach to an intersection, facing a flashing
circular red
signal shall stop at a clearly marked stop line; but if
there is no stop line, before entering the
crosswalk on the near side of the intersection; or if there is
no crosswalk, at the point nearest the
intersecting roadway where the driver has a view of approaching
traffic on the intersecting
roadway before entering the intersection. The right to
proceed shall be subject to the rules
applicable after making a stop at a stop sign.
(ii) When a flashing
circular red signal(s) is displayed as a beacon to supplement another
traffic control device, road users are notified that there is
a need to pay extra attention to the
message contained thereon or that the regulatory requirements
of the other traffic control device,
which may not be applicable at all times, are currently in
force.
(iii) Vehicular
traffic, on an approach to an intersection, facing a flashing red arrow
signal if intending to turn in the direction indicated by
the arrow shall stop at a clearly marked
stop line; but if there is no stop line, before entering the
crosswalk on the near side of the
intersection; or if there is no crosswalk, at the point nearest
the intersecting roadway where the
driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting
roadway before entering the
intersection. The right to proceed with the turn shall be limited
to the direction indicated by the
arrow and shall be subject to the rules applicable after
making a stop at a stop sign.
(iv)
Pedestrians facing any flashing red signal at an intersection,
unless otherwise
directed by a pedestrian control signal or other traffic
control device, are permitted to proceed
across the roadway within any marked or unmarked associated
crosswalk. Pedestrians shall yield
the right-of-way to vehicles lawfully within the
intersection at the time that the flashing red signal
is first displayed.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC01472
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