§ 39-10-72 — Funeral processions - Traffic regulations

1. Notwithstanding any traffic-control device, a law enforcement officer leading a funeral
procession may proceed through any intersection or make any turns or other
movements necessary while leading the procession. The officer, without regard to any
traffic-control device, may direct other drivers not in the funeral procession to stop,
turn, proceed, or make other movements. When leading the funeral procession, the
officer must be in a marked patrol vehicle and the vehicle's lighted headlamps,
taillamps, and top-mounted and grill-mounted signal lamps must be displayed at all
times during the procession.
2. Notwithstanding any traffic-control device or provision governing the right of way,
whenever a law enforcement officer leading a funeral procession enters an

intersection, the remainder of the vehicles in the funeral procession may follow through
the intersection. Each vehicle in the procession, however, must exercise reasonable
care toward any other vehicle or pedestrian on the roadway.
3. Notwithstanding any traffic-control device or provision governing rights of way and
subject to the following conditions, vehicles in a funeral procession have the right of
way.
a. All vehicles in a funeral procession must display lighted headlamps, taillamps,
and flashing emergency lamps.
b. All vehicles in a funeral procession must follow the preceding vehicle in the
procession as closely as is safe and practicable.
c. The driver of a vehicle in a funeral procession shall yield the right of way to an
approaching emergency vehicle when directed to do so by a law enforcement
officer or when the vehicle is giving an audible or visual signal.
d. A vehicle that becomes separated from the funeral procession and the law
enforcement escort, so that the procession is no longer continuous, must proceed
to its destination in a safe and prudent manner obeying all traffic signals and
general rules of the road.
4. Other vehicles shall conform to the following rules:
a. The driver of a vehicle may not drive between the vehicles comprising a funeral
procession while those vehicles are in motion, except when authorized to do so
by a law enforcement officer or when such vehicle is an emergency vehicle giving
an audible or visible signal.
b. The driver of a vehicle not part of a funeral procession may not join a funeral
procession for the purpose of securing the right of way granted under subsection
3.
c. The driver of a vehicle not in a funeral procession may not pass vehicles in such
a procession on a two-lane highway or roadway.
d. The driver of a vehicle may pass a funeral procession on its left side on any
multiple-lane highway whenever such passing can be done safely, unless the
procession is in the farthest left lane, in which case passing is permissible on the
right.
e. When a funeral procession is proceeding through a red signal as permitted by
subsection 3, a vehicle that is not in the procession may not enter the intersection
unless it can do so without crossing the path of the funeral procession. If the red
signal changes to green while the funeral procession is still within the
intersection, a vehicle facing a green signal may proceed, but the funeral
procession has the right of way.