2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 61. Motor Vehicles › Chapter 8. Traffic Regulation › Part 2. Traffic Control Devices › 61-8-207. Traffic control signal legend

61-8-207. Traffic control signal legend.
Except for lane use control signals and special pedestrian control signals carrying a legend, whenever traffic is controlled by traffic control signals exhibiting different colored lights or colored lighted arrows successively one at a time or in combination, only the colors green, red, and yellow may be used. The lights indicate and apply to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as follows:
(1) (a) Vehicular traffic facing a circular green signal may proceed straight through or turn left or right unless a traffic control device at the place prohibits either turn. However, vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning right or left, must yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time the signal is exhibited.
(b) Vehicular traffic facing a green arrow signal shown alone or in combination with another indication may cautiously enter the intersection only to make either the movement indicated by the arrow or another movement that is permitted by another indication shown at the same time. Vehicular traffic making the movements permitted by this subsection (1)(b) must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians who are lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.
(c) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in 61-8-208, a pedestrian facing a green signal, except when the only green signal is a turn arrow, may proceed in the direction of the green signal across the roadway within any marked or unmarked crosswalk. A driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to the pedestrian.
(2) (a) Vehicular traffic facing a steady circular yellow or yellow arrow signal is warned that the traffic movement permitted by the related green signal is being terminated or that a red signal will be exhibited immediately thereafter. Vehicular traffic may not enter the intersection when the red signal is exhibited after the yellow signal.
(b) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in 61-8-208, a pedestrian facing a steady circular yellow or yellow arrow signal is advised that there is insufficient time to cross the roadway before a red indication is shown.
(3) (a) Vehicular traffic facing a steady circular red signal must stop at a marked stop line. If there is not a marked stop line, vehicular traffic must stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection. If there is not a marked crosswalk, vehicular traffic must stop before entering the intersection and, except as provided in subsection (3)(c), must remain standing until an indication to proceed is shown.
(b) Vehicular traffic facing a steady red arrow signal may not enter the intersection to make the movement indicated by the arrow and must stop at a marked stop line unless the traffic is entering the intersection to make a movement indicated by another signal. If there is not a marked stop line, vehicular traffic must stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection. If there is not a marked crosswalk, vehicular traffic must stop before entering the intersection and must remain standing until an indication is shown that permits movement.
(c) (i) Except when a traffic control device is in place that prohibits a turn, vehicular traffic facing a steady circular red signal may cautiously enter the intersection to turn right or to turn left from a one-way street onto another one-way street after stopping as required under subsection (3)(a). After stopping, the operator of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching the intersection close enough to constitute an immediate hazard during the time that the operator is moving within the intersection.
(ii) An operator of a vehicle entering an intersection as provided in subsection (3)(c)(i) shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians within the intersection or within an adjacent crosswalk.
(d) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in 61-8-208, a pedestrian facing a steady circular red or red arrow signal alone may not enter the roadway.
(4) (a) If an official traffic control signal is erected and maintained at a place other than an intersection, the provisions of this section are applicable except as to those provisions that by their very nature can have no application.
(b) A required stop must be made at a sign or marking on the pavement indicating where the stop must be made, but in the absence of any sign or marking, the stop must be made at the signal.
History: En. Sec. 34, Ch. 263, L. 1955; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 211, L. 1963; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 206, L. 1974; R.C.M. 1947, 32-2137; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 62, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 47, Ch. 16, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 44, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 53, L. 2003.