Chapter 310 – Enforcement and Obedience To Traffic Regulations

Chapter 310

ENFORCEMENT AND OBEDIENCE TO TRAFFIC REGULATIONS

Section 310.010. Authority of Police and Fire Department Officials.

A. It shall be the duty of the officers of the Police Department or such officers as are assigned by the Chief of Police to enforce all traffic laws of the City and all of the State vehicle laws applicable to traffic in the City.

B. Officers of the Police Department or such officers as are assigned by the Chief of Police are hereby authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand or signal in conformance with traffic laws; provided that, in the event of a fire or other emergency or to expedite traffic or to safeguard pedestrians, officers of the Police Department may direct traffic as conditions may require notwithstanding the provisions of the traffic laws.

C. Officers of the Fire Department, when at the scene of an incident, may direct or assist the Police in directing traffic thereat or in the immediate vicinity.

Section 310.020. Obedience To Police and Fire Department Officials.

No person shall knowingly fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction of a Police Officer or Fire Department official.

Section 310.030. Persons Propelling Pushcarts or Riding Animals To Obey Traffic Regulations.

Every person propelling any pushcart or riding an animal upon a roadway, and every person driving any animal-drawn vehicle, shall be subject to the provisions of this Title applicable to the driver of any vehicle, except those provisions of this Title which by their very nature can have no application.

Section 310.040. Use of Coasters, Roller Skates and Similar Devices Restricted.

No person upon roller skates or riding in or by means of any coaster, toy vehicle, skateboard or similar device shall go upon any roadway except while crossing a street on a crosswalk and when so crossing such person shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to pedestrians. This Section shall not apply upon any street while set aside as a play street as authorized by ordinance of the City.

Section 310.050. Public Employees To Obey Traffic Regulations.

The provisions of this Title shall apply to the driver of any vehicle owned by or used in the service of the United States Government, this State, County or City and it shall be unlawful for any said driver to violate any of the provisions of this Title, except as otherwise permitted in this Title.

Section 310.060. Emergency Vehicles — Use of Lights and Sirens — Right-Of-Way — Stationary Vehicles, Procedure — Penalty.

A. Upon the immediate approach of an emergency vehicle giving audible signal by siren or while having at least one (1) lighted lamp exhibiting red light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of five hundred (500) feet to the front of such vehicle or a flashing blue light authorized by Section 310.080 of this Chapter, the driver of every other vehicle shall yield the right-of-way and shall immediately drive to a position parallel to, and as far as possible to the right of, the traveled portion of the highway and thereupon stop and remain in such position until such emergency vehicle has passed, except when otherwise directed by a police or traffic officer.

B. Upon approaching a stationary emergency vehicle displaying lighted red or red and blue lights, or a stationary vehicle owned by the State Highways and Transportation Commission and operated by an authorized employee of the Department of Transportation displaying lighted amber or amber and white lights, the driver of every motor vehicle shall:

1. Proceed with caution and yield the right-of-way, if possible with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, by making a lane change into a lane not adjacent to that of the stationary vehicle, if on a roadway having at least four (4) lanes with not less than two (2) lanes proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle; or

2. Proceed with due caution and reduce the speed of the vehicle, maintaining a safe speed for road conditions, if changing lanes would be unsafe or impossible.

C. Responsibilities Of Driver Of Emergency Vehicle.

1. The driver of any “emergency vehicle” defined in Section 300.010 of this Code shall not sound the siren thereon or have the front red lights or blue lights on except when such vehicle is responding to an emergency call or when in pursuit of an actual or suspected law violator, or when responding to, but not upon returning from, a fire.

2. The driver of an emergency vehicle may:

a. Park or stand irrespective of the provisions of Sections 304.014 to 304.025, RSMo. and the provisions of this Code;

b. Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation;

c. Exceed the prima facie speed limit so long as the driver does not endanger life or property;

d. Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions.

3. The exemptions granted to an emergency vehicle pursuant to Subsection (C)(2) of this Section shall apply only when the driver of any such vehicle while in motion sounds audible signal by bell, siren, or exhaust whistle as may be reasonably necessary, and when the vehicle is equipped with at least one (1) lighted lamp displaying a red light or blue light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of five hundred (500) feet to the front of such vehicle.

D. No person shall purchase an emergency light as described in this Section without furnishing the seller of such light an affidavit stating that the light will be used exclusively for emergency vehicle purposes.

E. Violation of this Section shall be deemed an ordinance violation.

Section 310.070. (Reserved)

Section 310.080. Sirens and Flashing Lights Emergency Use — Persons Authorized — Violation — Penalty.

Motor vehicles and equipment, not otherwise defined in this Title as an authorized emergency vehicle, which are operated by any member of an organized Fire Department, ambulance association or rescue squad, whether paid or volunteer, may be operated on streets and highways in this City as an emergency vehicle under the provisions of Section 310.060 of this Chapter, while responding to a fire call or ambulance call or at the scene of a fire call or ambulance call and while using or sounding a warning siren and using or displaying thereon fixed, flashing or rotating blue lights, but sirens and blue lights shall be used only in bona fide emergencies. Permits for the operation of such vehicles equipped with sirens or blue lights shall be in writing and shall be issued and may be revoked by the Chief of an organized Fire Department, organized ambulance association or rescue squad and no person shall use or display a siren or rotating blue lights on a motor vehicle, fire, ambulance or rescue equipment without a valid permit authorizing the use. Permit to use a siren or lights as heretofore set out does not relieve the operator of the vehicle so equipped with complying with all other traffic laws and regulations. Violation of this Section constitutes an ordinance violation.

Section 310.090. Immediate Notice of Accident Within City.

The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident within the City resulting in injury to or death of any person or total property damage to an apparent extent of five hundred dollars ($500.00) or more to one (1) person shall give or cause to be given notice of such accident to the Police Department as soon as reasonably possible.

Section 310.100. Written Report of Accident.

The driver of a vehicle which is in any manner involved in an accident resulting in bodily injury to or death of any person or total property damage to an apparent extent of five hundred dollars ($500.00) or more to one (1) person shall, within five (5) days after such accident, forward a written report of such accident to the Police Department. The provisions of this Section shall not be applicable when the accident has been investigated at the scene by a Police Officer while such driver was present thereat.

Section 310.110. When Driver Unable To Report.

A. Whenever the driver of a vehicle is physically incapable of giving immediate notice of an accident as required in Section 310.090 and there was another occupant in the vehicle at the time of the accident capable of doing so, such occupant shall give or cause to be given the notice not given by the driver.

B. Whenever the driver is physically incapable of making a written report of an accident as required in Section 310.100 and such driver is not the owner of the vehicle, then the owner of the vehicle involved in such accident shall, within five (5) days after the accident, make such report not made by the driver.

Section 310.120. Leaving The Scene of A Motor Vehicle Accident.

A. A person commits the offense of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident when, being the operator or driver of a vehicle on the highways, streets or roads of the City or on any publicly or privately owned parking lot or parking facility within the City generally open for use by the public and knowing that an injury has been caused to a person or damage has been caused to property due to his/her culpability or to accident, he/she leaves the place of the injury, damage or accident without stopping and giving his/her name, residence, including City and street number, motor vehicle number and driver’s license number, if any, to the injured party or to a Police Officer, or if no Police Officer is in the vicinity, then to the nearest Police station or judicial officer.

B. For the purposes of this Section, all Peace Officers shall have jurisdiction, when invited by an injured person, to enter the premises of any such privately owned parking lot or parking facility for the purpose of investigating an accident and performing all necessary duties regarding such accident.

Section 310.130. Fire Lane. [Ord. No. 150 §2, 5-18-1976]

There is hereby created a fire lane on the north side of Main Street between First Street and School Street for the purpose of insuring that fire prevention and control vehicles leaving the fire station have adequate room to turn and maneuver onto Main Street, said fire lane shall be clearly marked, and parking therein will be prohibited. Violation of this Section will be a general misdemeanor under the ordinances of the City of Goodman, Missouri, and be punishable thereby.