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§ 21-202. Traffic circular lights and arrows; vehicle traffic and pedestrians

West's Annotated Code of MarylandTransportationEffective: October 1, 2020

West's Annotated Code of Maryland
Transportation
Title 21. Vehicle Laws--Rules of the Road (Refs & Annos)
Subtitle 2. Traffic Signs, Signals, and Markings (Refs & Annos)
Effective: October 1, 2020
MD Code, Transportation, § 21-202
§ 21-202. Traffic circular lights and arrows; vehicle traffic and pedestrians
Green, red, and yellow lights used by colored lights or lighted arrows
(a)(1) Except for special pedestrian signals that carry a legend, where traffic is controlled by traffic control signals that show different colored lights or colored lighted arrows, whether successively one at a time or in combination, only the colors green, red, and yellow may be used.
(2) These lights apply to drivers and pedestrians as provided in this section.
Vehicle traffic facing circular green signals
(b) Vehicular traffic facing a circular green signal may proceed straight through or, unless a sign at the place prohibits the turn, turn right or left.
Turning vehicles under (b) yield right of way to other vehicles and pedestrians
(c) Vehicular traffic described under subsection (b) of this section, including any vehicle turning right or left, shall yield the right-of-way to any other vehicle and any pedestrian lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk when the signal is shown.
Vehicle traffic facing green arrow signals
(d) Vehicular traffic facing a green arrow signal, whether shown alone or with another indication, cautiously may enter the intersection, but only to make the movement indicated by the arrow or to make another movement permitted by other indications shown at the same time.
Turning vehicles under (d) yield right of way to pedestrians
(e) Vehicular traffic described under subsection (d) of this section shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian or bicycle lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to any other traffic lawfully using the intersection.
Pedestrians facing green signals
(f) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in § 21-203 of this subtitle, a pedestrian facing any green signal, unless the green signal is only a turn arrow, may cross the roadway, within any marked or unmarked crosswalk, in the direction of the green signal.
Vehicle traffic facing steady yellow signal
(g)(1) Vehicular traffic facing a steady yellow signal is warned that the related green movement is ending or that a red signal, which will prohibit vehicular traffic from entering the intersection, will be shown immediately after the yellow signal.
(2) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in § 21-203 of this subtitle, a pedestrian facing a steady yellow signal is warned that there is not enough time to cross the roadway before a red signal is shown, and a pedestrian may not then start to cross the roadway.
Vehicle traffic facing steady circular red signals
(h)(1) Vehicular traffic facing a steady circular red signal alone:
(i) Shall stop at the near side of the intersection:
1. At a clearly marked stop line;
2. If there is no clearly marked stop line, before entering any crosswalk; or
3. If there is no crosswalk, before entering the intersection; and
(ii) Except as provided in subsections (i), (j), and (k) of this section, shall remain stopped until a signal to proceed is shown.
(2) Vehicular traffic facing a steady red arrow signal:
(i) May not enter the intersection to make the movement indicated by the arrow;
(ii) Unless entering the intersection to make a movement permitted by another signal, shall stop at the near side of the intersection:
1. At a clearly marked stop line;
2. If there is no clearly marked stop line, before entering any crosswalk; or
3. If there is no crosswalk, before entering the intersection; and
(iii) Except as provided in subsections (i), (j), and (k) of this section, shall remain stopped until a signal permitting the movement is shown.
Vehicles facing steady red signal allowed to turn left or right after stopping
(i) Unless a sign prohibiting a turn is in place, vehicular traffic facing a steady red signal, after stopping as required by subsection (h) of this section, cautiously may enter the intersection and make:
(1) A right turn; or
(2) A left turn from a one-way street onto a one-way street.
Vehicles facing steady red signal allowed to turn indicated by sign after stopping
(j) If a sign permitting any other turn is in place, vehicular traffic facing a steady red signal, after stopping as required by subsection (h) of this section, cautiously may enter the intersection and make the turn indicated by the sign.
Vehicle traffic in (i) and (j) yield right-of-way to pedestrians
(k) In each instance, vehicular traffic described in subsections (i) and (j) of this section shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian or bicycle lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another roadway so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard.
Pedestrians facing steady red signal
(l) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in § 21-203 of this subtitle, pedestrians facing a steady red signal alone may not enter the roadway.
Traffic control signals placed at location other than intersection
(m) Except for those provisions of this section that by their very nature cannot apply, this section applies to a traffic control signal placed at a location other than an intersection. Each stop required by the signal shall be made at a sign or marking on the pavement indicating where the stop shall be made or, if there is no sign or marking, at the signal.

Credits

Added by Acts 1977, c. 14, § 2, eff. July 1, 1977. Amended by Acts 1977, c. 447; Acts 1986, c. 410; Acts 1986, c. 472, § 1; Acts 1993, c. 278; Acts 1997, c. 45, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1997; Acts 1997, c. 315, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1997; Acts 1998, c. 360, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1998; Acts 1999, c. 401, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 1999; Acts 2004, c. 320, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2004; Acts 2010, c. 518, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2010; Acts 2020, c. 39, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2020; Acts 2020, c. 40, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2020.
Formerly Art. 66 ½, § 11-202.
MD Code, Transportation, § 21-202, MD TRANS § 21-202
Current with all legislation from the 2023 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
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