(1) A city, township, or village may adopt by reference a code or ordinance for the regulation of traffic within cities, townships, and villages that has been promulgated by the director of the department of state police. The director of the department of state police may promulgate a uniform traffic code in compliance with the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328.

    (2) A city, township, or village, with the consent of, or at the request of, a person who is in charge of a parking lot, whether or not that parking lot is open to the general public, may contract with that person for the city, township, or village to enforce provisions of the uniform traffic code or ordinance adopted under this section in that parking lot. A peace officer may enter upon a private road that is accessible to the general public to enforce provisions of an ordinance adopted under this section if signs meeting the requirements of the Michigan manual on uniform traffic control devices are posted on the private road. The owner or person in charge of the private road is responsible for the posting of signs under this subsection. This subsection does not affect a contract entered into between a city, township, or village and the person in charge of a private road before July 20, 2006. As used in this subsection, “person” means an individual, corporation, association, partnership, or other legal entity.

    (3) A uniform traffic code promulgated by the director of the department of state police under this section must specify whether a person who violates a particular provision of the code is guilty of a misdemeanor or is responsible for a civil infraction. The director may establish civil sanctions for civil infractions, except that a civil sanction in excess of that prescribed in the vehicle code is in conflict with that act and is void to the extent of the conflict. The uniform traffic code must not impose a criminal penalty for an act or omission that is a civil infraction under the vehicle code.

    (4) Violation of a provision designated a civil infraction in the uniform traffic code must be processed in the same manner as a civil infraction under the vehicle code.

    (5) Notwithstanding the requirements of the uniform traffic code, except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a sign designating a parking space for persons with disabilities must be 12 inches by 18 inches or larger and must be either blue or white and at a minimum contain the international symbol of access in contrasting colors of either blue or white in the center of the sign. A sign designating a parking space for persons with disabilities that is erected or replaced on or after the effective date of the amendatory act that added this sentence must be 12 inches by 18 inches or larger and must use the design adopted under section 102a of the persons with disabilities civil rights act, 1976 PA 220, MCL 37.1102a, must not include the word “handicapped”, and may include a word providing instruction, such as “reserved”.

    (6) The provisions of the uniform traffic code promulgated under this act that relate to driving while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or driving with impaired ability must be identical to the provisions of section 625 to 625m of the vehicle code, MCL 257.625 to 257.625m.

    (7) For purposes of this section, “vehicle code” means the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.1 to 257.923.