Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Traffic Tip Tuesdays: Funeral Processions


In an effort to promote awareness of state traffic laws, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office posts excerpts of the 2018-2019 edition of The Maryland Vehicle Law Annotated on Tuesdays.

Adhering to the law will make roadways in St. Mary’s County and in Maryland safer for drivers, passengers, bicyclists, horse-and-buggy operators and pedestrians.

#TrafficTipTuesdays

Funeral Processions:

Sec. 21-207(a): “Procession may proceed through red light … a funeral procession facing a red signal may continue through or make a turn at an intersection if the first vehicle in the procession already entered the intersection before the signal changed from green to red.”

Sec. 21-207(b): “While a funeral procession is proceeding through a red signal as permitted by this section, a vehicle that is not in the procession may not enter the intersection, even if it is facing a green signal, unless it can do so without crossing the path of the procession.”

Vehicles in a funeral procession are to have headlights on or warning lights flashing.

By law, vehicles outside of the funeral procession do not have to pull over for the procession; that is a courtesy.

The fine for a vehicle entering an intersection occupied by a funeral procession is $60 and one point assessed on a driver’s license or $100 and three points if contributing to an accident.