SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

1998 SESSION

984348685
SENATE BILL NO. 70
Offered January 14, 1998
A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-833 of the Code of Virginia, relating to traffic light enforcement.
----------
Patron-- Houck
----------
Referred to the Committee on Transportation
----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 46.2-833 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 46.2-833. Traffic lights; enforcement.

A. Signals by traffic lights shall be as follows:

Steady red indicates that moving traffic shall stop and remain stopped as long as the red signal is shown, except in the direction indicated by a lighted green arrow.

Green indicates the traffic shall move in the direction of the signal and remain in motion as long as the green signal is given, except that such traffic shall yield to other vehicles and pedestrians lawfully within the intersection.

Steady amber indicates that a change is about to be made in the direction of the moving of traffic. When the amber signal is shown, traffic which has not already entered the intersection, including the crosswalks, shall stop if it is not reasonably safe to continue, but traffic which has already entered the intersection shall continue to move until the intersection has been cleared. The amber signal is a warning that the steady red signal is imminent.

Flashing red indicates that traffic shall stop before entering an intersection.

Flashing amber indicates that traffic may proceed through the intersection or past such signal with reasonable care under the circumstances.

B. The driver of any motor vehicle may be arrested without a warrant for a violation of this section if the arresting law-enforcement officer is in uniform, displays his badge of authority, and (i) observes a violation of this section or (ii) has received a radio message from another law-enforcement officer who observed the violation of this section. In the case of an arrest based on a radio message, such message shall be dispatched immediately after the violation of this section is observed, and the observing officer shall furnish the license number or other positive identification of the vehicle to the arresting officer.