CS/CS/HB 149

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to traffic control signals; amending s.
3	316.075, F.S.; requiring traffic control signals to
4	maintain certain signal intervals and display durations
5	based on approach speeds; providing that a citation for
6	specified violations shall be dismissed if the traffic
7	control signal does not meet specified requirements;
8	providing dates for intersections to meet requirements of
9	the act; providing an effective date.
10
11	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
12
13	Section 1.  Section 316.075, Florida Statutes, is amended
14	to read:
15	316.075  Traffic control signal devices.-
16	(1)  Except for automatic warning signal lights installed
17	or to be installed at railroad crossings, whenever traffic,
18	including municipal traffic, is controlled by traffic control
19	signals exhibiting different colored lights, or colored lighted
20	arrows, successively one at a time or in combination, only the
21	colors green, red, and yellow shall be used, except for special
22	pedestrian signals carrying a word legend, and the lights shall
23	indicate and apply to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as
24	follows:
25	(a)  Green indication.-
26	1.  Vehicular traffic facing a circular green signal may
27	proceed cautiously straight through or turn right or left unless
28	a sign at such place prohibits either such turn. But vehicular
29	traffic, including vehicles turning right or left, shall yield
30	the right-of-way to other vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully
31	within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time
32	such signal is exhibited.
33	2.  Vehicular traffic facing a green arrow signal, shown
34	alone or in combination with another indication, as directed by
35	the manual, may cautiously enter the intersection only to make
36	the movement indicated by such arrow, or such other movement as
37	is permitted by other indications shown at the same time, except
38	the driver of any vehicle may U-turn, so as to proceed in the
39	opposite direction unless such movement is prohibited by posted
40	traffic control signs. Such vehicular traffic shall yield the
41	right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent
42	crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.
43	3.  Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control
44	signal as provided in s. 316.0755, pedestrians facing any green
45	signal, except when the sole green signal is a turn arrow, may
46	proceed across the roadway within any marked or unmarked
47	crosswalk.
48	(b)  Steady yellow indication.-
49	1.  Vehicular traffic facing a steady yellow signal is
50	thereby warned that the related green movement is being
51	terminated or that a red indication will be exhibited
52	immediately thereafter when vehicular traffic shall not enter
53	the intersection.
54	2.  Pedestrians facing a steady yellow signal, unless
55	otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in
56	s. 316.0755, are thereby advised that there is insufficient time
57	to cross the roadway before a red indication is shown and no
58	pedestrian shall start to cross the roadway.
59	(c)  Steady red indication.-
60	1.  Vehicular traffic facing a steady red signal shall stop
61	before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the
62	intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection
63	and shall remain standing until a green indication is shown;
64	however:
65	a.  The driver of a vehicle which is stopped at a clearly
66	marked stop line, but if none, before entering the crosswalk on
67	the near side of the intersection, or, if none then at the point
68	nearest the intersecting roadway where the driver has a view of
69	approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway before entering
70	the intersection in obedience to a steady red signal may make a
71	right turn, but shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and
72	other traffic proceeding as directed by the signal at the
73	intersection, except that municipal and county authorities may
74	prohibit any such right turn against a steady red signal at any
75	intersection, which prohibition shall be effective when a sign
76	giving notice thereof is erected in a location visible to
77	traffic approaching the intersection.
78	b.  The driver of a vehicle on a one-way street that
79	intersects another one-way street on which traffic moves to the
80	left shall stop in obedience to a steady red signal, but may
81	then make a left turn into the one-way street, but shall yield
82	the right-of-way to pedestrians and other traffic proceeding as
83	directed by the signal at the intersection, except that
84	municipal and county authorities may prohibit any such left turn
85	as described, which prohibition shall be effective when a sign
86	giving notice thereof is attached to the traffic control signal
87	device at the intersection.
88	2.a.  The driver of a vehicle facing a steady red signal
89	shall stop before entering the crosswalk and remain stopped to
90	allow a pedestrian, with a permitted signal, to cross a roadway
91	when the pedestrian is in the crosswalk or steps into the
92	crosswalk and is upon the half of the roadway upon which the
93	vehicle is traveling or when the pedestrian is approaching so
94	closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in
95	danger.
96	b.  Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control
97	signal as provided in s. 316.0755, pedestrians facing a steady
98	red signal shall not enter the roadway.
99	(2)  In the event an official traffic control signal is
100	erected and maintained at a place other than an intersection,
101	the provisions of this section shall be applicable except as to
102	those provisions which by their nature can have no application.
103	Any stop required shall be made at a sign or marking on the
104	pavement indicating where the stop shall be made, but in the
105	absence of any such sign or marking the stop shall be made at
106	the signal.
107	(3)(a)  A No traffic control signal device may not shall be
108	used unless it exhibits which does not exhibit a yellow or
109	"caution" light between the green or "go" signal and the red or
110	"stop" signal. Whenever an engineering analysis is undertaken
111	for the purpose of evaluating or reevaluating yellow and red
112	signal display durations of a new or existing traffic control
113	signal, the department and local authorities shall adhere to the
114	following:
115	1.  The minimum yellow signal display duration on traffic
116	control signals shall be based on the posted speed limit plus 10
117	percent. The minimum yellow signal display duration shall be 3
118	seconds for traffic control signals on streets with a posted
119	speed limit of 25 miles per hour or less. The minimum yellow
120	signal display duration shall be increased one-half second for
121	each increase of 5 miles per hour in the posted speed limit plus
122	10 percent, not to exceed 6 seconds.
123	2.  Intersections with a posted speed limit greater than 55
124	miles per hour shall have, on approach, a sign posted in
125	accordance with the Department of Transportation's manual of
126	uniform traffic control devices to alert drivers to the traffic
127	control signal.
128	(b)  No traffic control signal device shall display other
129	than the color red at the top of the vertical signal, nor shall
130	it display other than the color red at the extreme left of the
131	horizontal signal.
132	(c)  To provide additional time before conflicting traffic
133	movements proceed, the yellow signal display shall be followed
134	by an all red clearance interval delaying the change of opposing
135	red light signals. The duration of the clearance interval shall
136	be determined by engineering practices as provided for in the
137	Department of Transportation's manual of uniform traffic control
138	devices required under s. 316.0745. The duration of a red
139	clearance interval may be extended from its predetermined value
140	for a given cycle based upon the detection of a vehicle that is
141	predicted to violate the red signal indication.
142	(4)  A violation of subsection (1) or subsection (2) this
143	section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable pursuant
144	to chapter 318 as either a pedestrian violation or, if the
145	infraction resulted from the operation of a vehicle, as a moving
146	violation. However, a citation for a violation of subparagraph
147	(1)(c)1. committed at an intersection where the traffic signal
148	device does not meet all requirements under subsection (3) is
149	unenforceable and the court, clerk of the court, designated
150	official, or authorized operator of a traffic violations bureau
151	shall dismiss the citation without penalty or assessment of
152	points against the license of the person cited. Dismissal of the
153	citation under this subsection does not affect the validity of
154	any other citation or charge for a violation of law and the
155	dismissal may not be used as evidence in any other civil or
156	criminal proceeding. Intersections with traffic infraction
157	detectors must meet the requirements in this section and be
158	certified by the appropriate authority for that jurisdiction by
159	December 31, 2011. All other intersections must meet the
160	requirements in this section by December 31, 2011.
161	Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.