Increases the penalty for red light offenses

SECOND REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 2953
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBL Y
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENT A TIVE MURRA Y .
6469H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
T o repeal section 304.281, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to red
light violations, with penalty provisions.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 304.281, RSMo, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu
2 thereof, to be known as section 304.281, to read as follows:
304.281. 1. Whenever traff ic is controlled by traf fic control signals exhibiting
2 dif ferent colored lights, or colored lighted arrows, successively one at a time or in
3 combination, only the colors green, red and yellow shall be used, except for special pedestrian
4 signals carrying a word legend, and said lights shall indicate and apply to drivers of vehicles
5 and pedestrians as follows:
6 (1) Green indication
7 (a) V ehicular traff ic facing a circular green signal may proceed straight through or
8 turn right or left unless a sign at such place prohibits either such turn. But vehicular traff ic,
9 including vehicles turning right or left, shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and to
10 pedestrians lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time such signal is
11 exhibited;
12 (b) V ehicular traf fic facing a green arrow signal, shown alone or in combination with
13 another indication, may cautiously enter the intersection only to make the movement
14 indicated by such arrow , or such other movement as is permitted by other indications shown
15 at the same time. Such vehicular traff ic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully
16 within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traf fic lawfully using the intersection;
EXPLANA TION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is
intended to be omitted from the law . Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language.
17 (c) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal, as provided in section
18 304.291, pedestrians facing any green signal, except when the sole green signal is a turn
19 arrow , may proceed across the roadway within any marked or unmarked crosswalk.
20 (2) Steady yellow indication
21 (a) V ehicular traff ic facing a steady yellow signal is thereby warned that the related
22 green movement is being terminated or that a red indication will be exhibited immediately
23 thereafter when vehicular traf fic shall not enter the intersection;
24 (b) Pedestrians facing a steady yellow signal, unless otherwise directed by a
25 pedestrian control signal as provided in section 304.291, are thereby advised that there is
26 insuf ficient time to cross the roadway before a red indication is shown and no pedestrian shall
27 then start to cross the roadway .
28 (3) Steady red indication
29 (a) V ehicular traff ic facing a steady red signal alone shall stop before entering the
30 crosswalk on the near side of the intersection at a clearly marked stop line but, if none, then
31 before entering the intersection and shall remain standing until an indication to proceed is
32 shown except as provided in paragraph (b);
33 (b) The driver of a vehicle which is stopped as close as practicable at the entrance to
34 the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or , if none, then at the entrance to the
35 intersection in obedience to a red signal, may cautiously enter the intersection to make a right
36 turn but shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and other traf fic proceeding as directed by
37 the signal at the intersection, except that the state highways and transportation commission
38 with reference to an intersection involving a state highway , and local authorities with
39 reference to an intersection involving other highways under their jurisdiction, may prohibit
40 any such right turn against a red signal at any intersection where safety conditions so require,
41 said prohibition shall be ef fective when a sign is erected at such intersection giving notice
42 thereof;
43 (c) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in section
44 304.291, pedestrians facing a steady red signal alone shall not enter the roadway .
45 (4) In the event an of ficial traff ic control signal is erected and maintained at a place
46 other than an intersection, the provision of this section shall be applicable except as to those
47 provisions which by their nature can have no application. Any stop required shall be made at
48 a sign or marking on the pavement indicating where the stop shall be made, but in the absence
49 of any such sign or marking the stop shall be made at the signal.
50 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 304.361, violation of this section is a
51 [ class C ] class B misdemeanor , except that violation of this section shall be a class A
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52 misdemeanor when a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle operated in violation of this
53 section .
✔
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