Montana Code 61-8-207. Traffic control signal legend
61-8-207. Traffic control signal legend. Except for lane use control signals and special pedestrian control signals carrying a legend, whenever traffic is controlled by traffic control signals exhibiting different colored lights or colored lighted arrows successively one at a time or in combination, only the colors green, red, and yellow may be used. The lights indicate and apply to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as follows:
Terms Used In Montana Code 61-8-207
- Crosswalk: means :
(i)that part of a roadway at an intersection included within the connections of the lateral lines of the sidewalks on opposite sides of the highway measured from the curbs or, in the absence of curbs, from the edges of the traversable roadway; or
(ii)any portion of a roadway at an intersection or elsewhere distinctly indicated for pedestrians crossing by lines or other markings on the surface. See Montana Code 61-8-102
- Driver: means a person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Intersection: means the area embraced within the prolongation or connection of the lateral curb lines or if there are no curb lines then the lateral boundary lines of the roadways of two highways that join one another at or approximately at right angles or the area within which vehicles traveling on different highways joining at any other angle may come in conflict. See Montana Code 61-8-102
- Operator: means a person who is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Pedestrian: means any person on foot or any person in a manually or mechanically propelled wheelchair or other low-powered, mechanically propelled vehicle designed specifically for use by a physically disabled person. See Montana Code 61-8-102
- Right-of-way: means the privilege of the immediate use of the roadway. See Montana Code 61-8-102
- Roadway: means the portion of a highway that is improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, including the paved shoulder. See Montana Code 61-8-102
- Street: means the entire width between the boundary lines of every publicly maintained way when any part of the publicly maintained way is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Traffic: means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars, and other conveyances either singly or together while using any highways for purposes of travel. See Montana Code 61-1-101
- Traffic control signal: means a device, whether manually, electrically, or mechanically operated, by which traffic is alternately directed to stop and to proceed. See Montana Code 61-8-102
- Vehicle: means a device in, on, or by which any person or property may be transported or drawn on a public highway, except devices moved by animal power or used exclusively on stationary rails or tracks. See Montana Code 61-1-101
(1)(a) Vehicular traffic facing a circular green signal may proceed straight through or turn left or right unless a traffic control device at the place prohibits either turn. However, vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning right or left, must 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.
(b)Vehicular traffic facing a green arrow signal shown alone or in combination with another indication may cautiously enter the intersection only to make either the movement indicated by the arrow or another movement that is permitted by another indication shown at the same time. Vehicular traffic making the movements permitted by this subsection (1)(b) must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians who are lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.
(c)Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in 61-8-208, a pedestrian facing a green signal, except when the only green signal is a turn arrow, may proceed in the direction of the green signal across the roadway within any marked or unmarked crosswalk. A driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to the pedestrian.
(2)(a) Vehicular traffic facing a steady circular yellow or yellow arrow signal is warned that the traffic movement permitted by the related green signal is being terminated or that a red signal will be exhibited immediately thereafter. Vehicular traffic may not enter the intersection when the red signal is exhibited after the yellow signal.
(b)Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in 61-8-208, a pedestrian facing a steady circular yellow or yellow arrow signal is advised that there is insufficient time to cross the roadway before a red indication is shown.
(3)(a) Vehicular traffic facing a steady circular red signal must stop at a marked stop line. If there is not a marked stop line, vehicular traffic must stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection. If there is not a marked crosswalk, vehicular traffic must stop before entering the intersection and, except as provided in subsection (3)(c), must remain standing until an indication to proceed is shown.
(b)Vehicular traffic facing a steady red arrow signal may not enter the intersection to make the movement indicated by the arrow and must stop at a marked stop line unless the traffic is entering the intersection to make a movement indicated by another signal. If there is not a marked stop line, vehicular traffic must stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection. If there is not a marked crosswalk, vehicular traffic must stop before entering the intersection and must remain standing until an indication is shown that permits movement.
(c)(i) Except when a traffic control device is in place that prohibits a turn, vehicular traffic facing a steady circular red signal may cautiously enter the intersection to turn right or to turn left from a one-way street onto another one-way street after stopping as required under subsection (3)(a). After stopping, the operator of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching the intersection close enough to constitute an immediate hazard during the time that the operator is moving within the intersection.
(ii)An operator of a vehicle entering an intersection as provided in subsection (3)(c)(i) shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians within the intersection or within an adjacent crosswalk.
(d)Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in 61-8-208, a pedestrian facing a steady circular red or red arrow signal alone may not enter the roadway.
(4)(a) If an official traffic control signal is erected and maintained at a place other than an intersection, the provisions of this section are applicable except as to those provisions that by their very nature can have no application.
(b)A required stop must be made at a sign or marking on the pavement indicating where the stop must be made, but in the absence of any sign or marking, the stop must be made at the signal.