§ 32:232 — Traffic-control signals

§232. Traffic-control signals
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 shall be used, except for special pedestrian signals carrying a word
legend, and said lights shall indicate and apply to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as
follows:
(1) GREEN indication:
(a) Vehicular traffic facing a circular green signal may proceed straight through or
turn right or left unless a sign at such place prohibits either such turn. But vehicular traffic,
including vehicles turning right or left, shall stop and yield the right-of-way to other vehicles
and to pedestrians lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time such
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 the movement
indicated by such arrow, or such other movement as is permitted by other indications shown
at the same time. Such vehicular traffic shall stop and yield the right-of-way to pedestrians
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 R.S.
32:233, pedestrians facing any green signal, except when the sole green signal is a turn
arrow, may proceed across the roadway within any marked or unmarked crosswalk.
(2) Steady YELLOW indication:
(a) Vehicular traffic facing a steady yellow signal alone is thereby warned that the
related green signal is being terminated or that a red signal will be exhibited immediately
thereafter and such vehicular traffic shall not enter the intersection when the red signal is
exhibited.
(b) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in R.S.
32:233 a pedestrian facing a steady yellow signal is thereby advised that there is insufficient
time to cross the roadway before a red signal is exhibited and no pedestrian shall then start
to cross the roadway.
(3) Steady RED indication:
(a) Vehicular traffic facing a steady circular red signal alone shall stop at a clearly
marked stop line, or if none, then before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the
intersection, or if none, then before entering the intersection, and shall remain standing until
an indication to proceed is shown except as provided in Subparagraph (c) of this Paragraph.
(b) Vehicular traffic facing a steady red arrow signal shall not enter the intersection
to make the movement indicated by the arrow and, unless entering the intersection to make
a movement permitted by another signal, shall stop at a clearly marked stop line, or if none,
then before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or if none, then before
entering the intersection, and shall remain standing until an indication permitting the
movement indicated by such red arrow is shown except as provided in Subparagraph (c) of
this Paragraph.
(c) Except when a sign prohibits a turn, vehicular traffic facing any steady red signal
may cautiously enter the intersection to turn right, or to turn left from a one-way street into
a one-way street, or to U-turn at a signalized U-turn after stopping as required by
Subparagraph (a) or Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph. Such vehicular traffic shall yield the
right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully
using the intersection.
(d) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control signal as provided in R.S.
32:233, a pedestrian facing a steady circular red or red arrow signal shall not enter the
roadway.
(e) Notwithstanding any provision contained in this Section to the contrary, for red
indications or signal infractions, if the violation results in the injury of another person, the
offender shall be fined not less than two hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars
and may be subjected to a driver's license suspension for a period of ninety days, or both.
(f) If the violation results in the serious bodily injury of another person, the offender
shall be fined not less than five hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars,
imprisoned for not more than six months, or both. The offender may also be subjected to a
driver's license suspension for a period of one hundred eighty days.
(g) If the violation results in the death of another person, the offender shall be fined
not less than one thousand dollars nor more than five thousand dollars, imprisoned for not
more than one year, or both. The offender may also be subjected to a driver's license
suspension for a period of up to three hundred sixty-five days.
(4) Flashing YELLOW indication. When a flashing yellow arrow indication is
activated, vehicular traffic, on an approach to an intersection, facing a flashing yellow arrow
signal indication, displayed alone or in combination with another signal indication, is
permitted to cautiously enter the intersection only to make the movement indicated by such
arrow. In addition, vehicular traffic facing a flashing yellow arrow, turning left or making
a U-turn to the left shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles approaching from the
opposite direction. Such vehicular traffic, including vehicles making a U-turn, shall yield
the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within the associated crosswalk, and to other
vehicles lawfully within the intersection.
(5) In the event an official traffic-control signal is erected and maintained at a place
other than an intersection, the provisions of this Section shall be applicable except as to those
provisions which by their nature can have no application. Any stop required shall be made
at a sign or marking on the pavement indicating where the stop shall be made, but in the
absence of any such sign or marking, the stop shall be made at the signal.

Legislative History

Acts 1962, No. 310, §1. Amended by Acts 1976, No. 152, §1; Acts 1978, No. 551, §1; Acts 2011, No. 244, §1; Acts 2013, No. 43, §1, eff. May 29, 2013; Acts 2024, No. 269, §1.