CHAPTER 340: MISCELLANEOUS DRIVING RULES

SECTION 340.010: FOLLOWING FIRE APPARATUS PROHIBITED

The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm closer than five hundred (500) feet or drive into or park such vehicle within the block where fire apparatus has stopped in answer to a fire alarm.

SECTION 340.015: STOPPING FOR FIRE APPARATUS

A. Drivers of vehicles upon any street, road or highway, upon approaching any firehouse from which any fire truck, apparatus or equipment is then leaving and entering upon such street, road or highway, shall stop his/her vehicle before reaching such firehouse exit at a point upon the street, road or highway designated by a sign posted at the side of the street, road or highway or designated by a white or yellow line painted upon the street, road or highway. If there is any siren sounding or any blinker warning light flashing in front of any such firehouse, drivers of vehicles having stopped shall not proceed until such siren shall stop sounding or until such blinker light shall stop flashing but, in any event, not until such fire truck, apparatus or equipment shall have completed its entry onto such street, road or highway.

B. The Board of Directors of any fire district or the Fire Chief of any Fire Department maintaining any firehouse within the City may, with the approval of the Board of Aldermen:

1. Erect at the side of any street, road or highway an appropriate sign indicating the point of stopping for vehicles thereon when any fire truck or fire equipment may be leaving such firehouse.
2. Paint across the traffic lane of such street, road or highway opposite such sign a white or yellow line further indicating such stopping point.

Such line and sign shall be located at such distance from the exit of such firehouse as the Board of Directors or Fire Chief and the Board of Aldermen may find as an appropriate distance to preserve and protect the safety of drivers of vehicles upon such street, road or highway as well as the operators and passengers upon any such fire truck, apparatus or equipment. (CC 1990 §10-68; Ord. No. 92-12 §3, 6-2-92)

SECTION 340.020: CROSSING FIRE HOSE

No vehicle shall be driven over any unprotected hose of a Fire Depart-ment when laid down on any street or private driveway, to be used at any fire or alarm of fire, without the consent of the Fire Depart-ment official in command.

SECTION 340.030: FUNERAL PROCESSIONS

A. Definitions. As used in this Section, the following terms shall mean:

FUNERAL DIRECTOR: A person licensed as a funeral director pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 333, RSMo.

FUNERAL LEAD VEHICLE OR LEAD VEHICLE: Any motor vehicle equipped with at least one (1) lighted circulating lamp exhibiting an amber or purple light or lens or alternating flashing headlamps visible under normal atmospheric conditions for a distance of five hundred (500) feet from the front of the vehicle. A hearse or coach properly equipped may be a lead vehicle.

ORGANIZED FUNERAL PROCESSION: Two (2) or more vehicles accompanying the remains of a deceased person from a funeral establishment, church, synagogue or other place where a funeral service has taken place to a cemetery, crematory or other place of final disposition, or a funeral establishment, church, synagogue or other place where additional funeral services will be performed, if directed by a licensed funeral director from a licensed establishment.

B. Driving Rules.

1. Except as otherwise provided for in this Section, pedestrians and operators of all other vehicles shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle which is a part of an organized funeral procession.
2. Notwithstanding any traffic control device or right-of-way provision prescribed by State or local law, when the funeral lead vehicle in an organized funeral procession lawfully enters an intersection, all vehicles in the procession shall follow the lead vehicle through the intersection. The operator of each vehicle in the procession shall exercise the highest degree of care toward any other vehicle or pedestrian on the roadway.
3. An organized funeral procession shall have the right-of-way at all intersections regardless of any traffic control device at such intersections, except that operators of vehicles in an organized funeral procession shall yield the right-of-way to any approaching emergency vehicle pursuant to the provisions of law or when directed to do so by a Law Enforcement Officer.
4. All vehicles in an organized funeral procession shall follow the preceding vehicle in the procession as closely as is practical and safe under the conditions.
5. No person shall operate any vehicle as part of an organized funeral procession without the flashing emergency lights of such vehicle being lighted.
6. Any person who is not an operator of a vehicle in an organized funeral procession shall not:
   1. Drive between the vehicles comprising an organized funeral procession while such vehicles are in motion and have the flashing emergency lights lighted pursuant to Subsection (B)(5), above, except when required to do so by a Law Enforcement Officer or when such person is operating an emergency vehicle giving an audible or visual signal;
   2. Join a funeral procession for the purpose of securing the right-of-way; or
   3. Attempt to pass any vehicle in an organized funeral procession, except where a passing lane has been specifically provided.
7. When an organized funeral procession is proceeding through a red signal light as permitted herein, a vehicle not in the organized funeral procession shall not enter the intersection unless such vehicle may do so without crossing the path of the funeral procession.
8. No ordinance, regulation or any other provision of law shall prohibit the use of a motorcycle utilizing flashing amber lights to escort an organized funeral procession on the highway.

C. Any person convicted of violating any provision of this Section shall be punished by a fine not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100.00).

SECTION 340.040: DRIVING IN PROCESSION

SECTION 340.050: FUNERAL PROCESSION TO BE IDENTIFIED

A funeral composed of a procession of vehicles shall be identified as such by the display upon the outside of each vehicle of a pennant or other identifying insignia or by such other method as may be determined and designated by the Traffic Division.

SECTION 340.060: WHEN PERMITS REQUIRED FOR PARADES AND PROCESSIONS

No funeral, procession or parade containing two hundred (200) or more persons or fifty (50) or more vehicles except the forces of the United States Army or Navy, the military forces of this State and the forces of the Police and Fire Departments shall occupy, march or proceed along any street except in accordance with a permit issued by the Chief of Police and such other regulations as are set forth herein which may apply.

SECTION 340.070: VEHICLE SHALL NOT BE DRIVEN ON A SIDEWALK

The driver of a vehicle shall not drive within any sidewalk area except on a permanent or temporary driveway.

SECTION 340.080: LIMITATIONS ON BACKING

The driver of a vehicle shall not back the same unless such movement can be made with reasonable safety and without interfering with other traffic.

SECTION 340.090: OPENING AND CLOSING VEHICLE DOORS

No person shall open the door of a motor vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so, nor shall any person leave a door open on the side of a motor vehicle available to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.

SECTION 340.100: RIDING ON MOTORCYCLES-ADDITIONAL PASSENGER- REQUIREMENTS

B. The operator of a motorized bicycle shall ride only astride the permanent and regular seat attached thereto and shall not permit more than one (1) person to ride thereon at the same time, unless the motor-ized bicycle is designed to carry more than one (1) person. Any motor-ized bicycle designed to carry more than one (1) person must be equipped with a passenger seat and footrests for the use of a passen-ger.

C. No person shall operate or ride as a passenger on any motorcycle unless such person is wearing protective headgear at all times the vehicle is in motion.

D. No person shall operate or ride as a passenger on any motorcycle unless such motorcycle is equipped with a windshield, intact and firmly attached, or unless such operator or passenger is wearing shatterproof goggles or glasses that are shielding the eyes from the wind and foreign objects. (CC 1990 §10-5(c,d); Ord. No. 92-12 §2, 6-2-92)

SECTION 340.110: RIDING BICYCLE ON SIDEWALKS, LIMITATIONS-MOTORIZED BICYCLES PROHIBITED

A. No person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk within a business district.

B. Whenever any person is riding a bicycle upon a sidewalk, such per-son shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian.

C. No person shall ride a motorized bicycle upon a sidewalk.

SECTION 340.120: ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES, PROHIBITED-EXCEPTIONS, OPERATION OF UNDER AN EXCEPTION-PROHIBITED USES-PENALTY

A. No person shall operate an all-terrain vehicle, as defined in Section 300.020, upon the streets and highways of this City, except as follows:

1. All-terrain vehicles owned and operated by a governmental entity for official use;
2. All-terrain vehicles operated for agricultural purposes or industrial on-premises purposes between the official sunrise and sunset on the day of operation.

B. No person shall operate an off-road vehicle, as defined in Section 304.001, RSMo., within any stream or river in this City, except that off-road vehicles may be operated within waterways which flow within the boundaries of land which an off-road vehicle operator owns, or for agricultural purposes within the boundaries of land which an off-road vehicle operator owns or has permission to be upon, or for the purpose of fording such stream or river of this State at such road crossings as are customary or part of the highway system. All Law Enforcement Officials or Peace Officers of this State and its political subdivisions shall enforce the provisions of this Subsection within the geographic area of their jurisdiction.

C. A person operating an all-terrain vehicle on a street or highway pursuant to an exception covered in this Section shall have a valid operator's or chauffeur's license but shall not be required to have passed an examination for the operation of a motorcycle, and the vehicle shall be operated at speeds of less than thirty (30) miles per hour. When operated on a street or highway, an all-terrain vehicle shall have a bicycle safety flag, which extends not less than seven (7) feet above the ground, attached to the rear of the vehicle. The bicycle safety flag shall be triangular in shape with an area of not less than thirty (30) square inches and shall be dayglow in color.

D. No person shall operate an all-terrain vehicle:

1. In any careless way so as to endanger the person or property of another;
2. While under the influence of alcohol or any controlled substance; or
3. Without a securely fastened safety helmet on the head of an individual who operates an all-terrain vehicle or who is being towed or otherwise propelled by an all-terrain vehicle, unless the individual is at least eighteen (18) years of age.

E. No operator of an all-terrain vehicle shall carry a passenger, except for agricultural purposes.

F. A violation of this Section shall be a misdemeanor.

SECTION 340.130: RIDING BICYCLES, SLEDS, ROLLER SKATES, BY ATTACHING TO ANOTHER VEHICLE-PROHIBITED

No person riding upon any bicycle, motorized bicycle, coaster, roller skates, sled or toy vehicle shall attach the same or himself/herself to any vehi-cle upon a roadway.

SECTION 340.140: CONTROLLED ACCESS

No person shall drive a vehicle onto or from any controlled access road-way except at such entrances and exits as are established by public authority.

SECTION 340.150: DRIVING THROUGH SAFETY ZONE PROHIBITED

No vehicle shall at any time be driven through or within a safety zone.

SECTION 340.160: PASSENGER LIMITATIONS

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle which has more than three (3) persons over the age of sixteen (16) years in the front seat, nor shall any person extend any part of his/her body outside the vehicle except the hand and arm for signaling purposes only. (CC 1990 §10-9; Ord. No. 92-12 §3, 6-2-92)

SECTION 340.170: MANNER OF OPERATION GENERALLY

Every person operating a motor vehicle on the highways of this City or on the private streets open to the public in the City shall drive the vehicle in a careful and prudent manner and at a rate of speed so as not to endanger the property of another or the life or limb of any person and shall exercise the highest degree of care. (CC 1990 §10-32; Code 1977 §16.145(1))

SECTION 340.180: OVERTAKING AND PASSING VEHICLES

A. The following rules shall govern the overtaking and passing of vehicles proceeding in the same direction, subject to the limitations and exceptions hereinafter stated:

1. The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left thereof at a safe distance and shall not again drive to the right side of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle.
2. Except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall give way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle on audible signal and shall not increase the speed of his/her vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle.

B. The driver of a motor vehicle may overtake and pass to the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions:

1. When the vehicle overtaken is in the left turning lane.
2. Upon a City street with unobstructed pavement of sufficient room for two (2) or more lines of vehicles in each direction.
3. Upon a one-way street.

In no event shall such movement be made by driving off the paved or main-traveled portion of the roadway. The provisions of this Subsection shall not relieve the driver of a slow-moving vehicle from the duty to drive as closely as practicable to the right-hand edge of the roadway.

C. No vehicle shall at any time be driven to the left side of the roadway under the following conditions:

1. When approaching the crest of a grade or upon a curve of the street where the driver's view is obstructed within such distance as to create a hazard in the event another vehicle might approach from the opposite direction.
2. When the view is obstructed upon approaching within one hundred (100) feet of any bridge, viaduct, tunnel or when approaching within one hundred (100) feet of or at any intersection. (CC 1990 §10-36; Code 1977 §16.450; Ord. No. 96-14 §§1-2, 11-5-96)

SECTION 340.190: USE OF TURNING LANES

A vehicle shall not be driven in a lane designated or marked as a turning lane except during such time as making or completing a turn. If a turn is made into a turning lane and oncoming traffic precludes existing traffic flow, the operator of said vehicle shall stop until such time as entrance into the traffic lane can be accomplished safely. It shall be unlawful to use a lane designated or marked as a turning lane as a through driving lane. (CC 1990 §10-36; Code 1977 §16.450; Ord. No. 96-14 §§1-2, 11-5-96)

SECTION 340.200: STOPPING FOR SCHOOL BUS

A. The driver of a vehicle upon a highway upon meeting or overtaking from either direction any school bus which has stopped on the highway for the purpose of receiving or discharging any school children and whose driver has in the manner prescribed by law given the signal to stop shall stop the vehicle before reaching such school bus and shall not proceed until such school bus resumes motion, or until signaled by its driver to proceed.

B. Every bus used for the transportation of school children shall bear upon the front and rear thereon a plainly visible sign containing the words "School Bus" in letters not less than eight (8) inches in height. Each bus shall have lettered on the rear in plain and distinct type the following: "State Law: Stop While Bus is Loading and Unloading". Each school bus subject to the provisions of Sections 304.050 to 304.070, RSMo., shall be equipped with a mechanical and electrical signaling device approved by the State Board of Education, which will display a signal plainly visible from the front and rear and indicating intention to stop.

C. Every school bus operated to transport students in the public school system which has a gross vehicle weight rating of more than ten thousand (10,000) pounds, which has the engine mounted entirely in front of the windshield and the entrance door behind the front wheels, and which is used for the transportation of school children shall be equipped with a crossing control arm. The crossing control arm, when activated, shall extend a minimum of five (5) feet six (6) inches from the face of the front bumper. The crossing control arm shall be attached on the right side of the front bumper and shall be activated by the same controls which activate the mechanical and electrical signaling devices described in Subsection (B) of this Section. This Subsection may be cited as "Jessica's Law" in commemoration of Jessica Leicht and all other Missouri school children who have been injured or killed during the operation of a school bus.

D. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the driver of a school bus in the process of loading or unloading students upon a street or highway shall activate the mechanical and electrical signaling devices, in the manner prescribed by the State Board of Education, to communicate to drivers of other vehicles that students are loading or unloading. A public school district has the authority pursuant to Section 304.050, RSMo., to adopt a policy which provides that the driver of a school bus in the process of loading or unloading students upon a divided highway of four (4) or more lanes may pull off of the main roadway and load or unload students without activating the mechanical and electrical signaling devices in a manner which gives the signal for other drivers to stop and may use the amber signaling devices to alert motorists that the school bus is slowing to a stop; provided that the passengers are not required to cross any traffic lanes and also provided that the emergency flashing signal lights are activated in a manner which indicates that drivers should proceed with caution, and in such case, the driver of a vehicle may proceed past the school bus with due caution. No driver of a school bus shall take on or discharge passengers at any location upon a highway consisting of four (4) or more lanes of traffic, whether or not divided by a median or barrier, in such manner as to require the passengers to cross more than two (2) lanes of traffic; nor shall any passengers be taken on or discharged while the vehicle is upon the road or highway proper unless the vehicle so stopped is plainly visible for at least five hundred (500) feet in each direction to drivers of other vehicles in the case of a highway with no shoulder and a speed limit greater than sixty (60) miles per hour and at least three hundred (300) feet in each direction to drivers of other vehicles upon other highways, and on all highways, only for such time as is actually necessary to take on and discharge passengers.

E. The driver of a vehicle upon a highway with separate roadways need not stop upon meeting or overtaking a school bus which is on a different roadway, which is proceeding in the opposite direction on a highway containing four (4) or more lanes of traffic, or which is stopped in a loading zone constituting a part of, or adjacent to, a limited or controlled access highway at a point where pedestrians are not permitted to cross the roadway.

SECTION 340.210: TURNING ON A CURVE OR CREST OF A GRADE

No vehicle shall be turned so as to proceed in the opposite direction upon any curve, or upon the approach to or near the crest of a grade or hill, where the vehicle cannot be seen by the driver of any other vehicle approaching from either direction within five hundred (500) feet. (CC 1990 §10-48; Ord. No. 92-12 §3, 6-2-92)

SECTION 340.220: TURNS AT INTERSECTIONS-CROSSING PRIVATE PROPERTY PROHIBITED

The driver of a vehicle shall make all turns at the intersection of roadways in accordance with turning movements of Section 325.010. No person shall drive any vehicle on or across private property to make a turn onto an intersecting roadway, except if such vehicle enters said property and stops on said property to deliver or pick up merchandise, property or persons. (CC 1990 §10-50; Ord. No. 96-16 §§1-3, 11-5-96)

SECTION 340.230: FOLLOWING TOO CLOSELY

The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonably safe and prudent having due regard for the speed of such vehicle, his/her ability to stop if necessary, and the traffic upon and condition of the roadway. (CC 1990 §10-51; Ord. No. 97-15 §§1-2, 12-2-97)

SECTION 340.240: UNATTENDED VEHICLE

Any vehicle left unattended in substantially the same location upon any street or highway for more than seventy-two (72) hours shall be deemed illegally parked. (CC 1990 §10-67; Ord. No. 91-4 §3, 2-5-91)

Cross Reference-As to abandoned property, see ch. 215, art. III.

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