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, number, or symbol, and such lights shall indicate and apply to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as follows:

(1)(a) Vehicular traffic facing a circular green indication 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 yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and to pedestrians lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time such indication is exhibited;

(b) Vehicular traffic facing a green arrow indication, 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, and such vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection; and

(c) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control signal, pedestrians facing any green indication, except when the sole green indication is a turn arrow, may proceed across the roadway within any marked or unmarked crosswalk;

(2)(a) Vehicular traffic facing a steady yellow indication is thereby warned that the related green movement is being terminated or that a red indication will be exhibited immediately thereafter when vehicular traffic shall not enter the intersection, and upon display of a steady yellow indication, vehicular traffic shall stop before entering the nearest crosswalk at the intersection, but if such stop cannot be made in safety, a vehicle may be driven cautiously through the intersection;

(b) Vehicular traffic facing a flashing yellow arrow indication may cautiously enter the intersection only to make the movement indicated by such arrow, and such vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection; and

(c) Pedestrians facing a steady yellow indication, unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control signal, are thereby advised that there is insufficient time to cross the roadway before a red indication is shown and no pedestrian shall then start to cross the roadway;

(3)(a) Vehicular traffic facing a steady circular red indication alone shall stop at a clearly marked stop line or shall stop, if there is no such line, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if there is no crosswalk, before entering the intersection. The traffic shall remain standing until an indication to proceed is shown except as provided in subdivisions (3)(b) and (3)(c) of this section;

(b) Except where a traffic control device is in place prohibiting a turn, vehicular traffic facing a steady circular red indication may cautiously enter the intersection to make a right turn after stopping as required by subdivision (3)(a) of this section. Such vehicular traffic shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection;

(c) Except where a traffic control device is in place prohibiting a turn, vehicular traffic facing a steady circular red indication at the intersection of two one-way streets may cautiously enter the intersection to make a left turn after stopping as required by subdivision (3)(a) of this section. 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) Vehicular traffic facing a steady red arrow indication alone shall stop at a clearly marked stop line or shall stop, if there is no such line, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if there is no crosswalk, before entering the intersection. The traffic shall not enter the intersection to make the movement indicated by the arrow and shall remain standing until an indication to proceed is shown; and

(e) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control signal, pedestrians facing a steady red indication alone shall not enter the roadway;

(4) If a 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; and

(5)(a) If a traffic control signal at an intersection is not operating because of a power failure or other cause and no peace officer, flagperson, or other traffic control device is providing direction for traffic at the intersection, the intersection shall be treated as a multi-way stop; and

(b) If a traffic control signal is not in service and the signal heads are turned away from traffic or covered with opaque material, subdivision (a) of this subdivision shall not apply.

Annotations

This section plainly provides that the "steady red indication," a subset of "traffic control signals exhibiting different colored light or colored lighted arrows," encompasses "colored lighted arrows," and shall apply to drivers of vehicles in this state, so as to indicate at the intersection of two one-way streets that the driver may cautiously enter the intersection to make a left turn after stopping. State v. Albarenga, 313 Neb. 72, 892 N.W.2d 799 (2022).

In the case of a collision involving two vehicles approaching an intersection from opposite directions with a green light for both vehicles, a determination of which vehicle was "lawfully" in the intersection first, thereby possessing a superior right-of-way for purposes of this section, was a question of fact for the jury. Nguyen v. Rezac, 256 Neb. 458, 590 N.W.2d 375 (1999).

Speeding up to cross an intersection on a yellow light in violation of subdivision (2)(a) of this section provides sufficient cause for a police officer observing the violation to make an investigatory stop. State v. LaMere, 230 Neb. 629, 432 N.W.2d 822 (1988).

A pedestrian crossing at a regular crosswalk with the right-of-way has a right, until he has notice or knowledge to the contrary, to assume that others will respect his right-of-way. Even though a statute grants the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing a street in the crosswalk, it does not excuse contributory negligence on his part. Holly v. Mitchell, 213 Neb. 203, 328 N.W.2d 750 (1982).

A city ordinance regulating funeral processions was a reasonable and valid exercise of the city's police power under section 39-697(1)(c) (transferred to section 60-680) and does not conflict with Nebraska's present right-of-way statutes, section 39-609(1) (transferred to section 60-6,119) and this section. Herman v. Lee, 210 Neb. 563, 316 N.W.2d 56 (1982).

A city ordinance prohibiting a left turn on a steady red arrow indication does not conflict with this section. State v. Albarenga, 30 Neb. App. 711, 972 N.W.2d 85 (2022).

A steady red arrow indication constitutes a traffic control device prohibiting a turn under subdivision (3)(c) of this section. State v. Albarenga, 30 Neb. App. 711, 972 N.W.2d 85 (2022).

To the extent this section conflicts with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 411 Neb. Admin. Code, ch.1, § 001 (2019), as it relates to red arrow indications, the manual is the controlling law. State v. Albarenga, 30 Neb. App. 711, 972 N.W.2d 85 (2022).

Directed verdict was improperly granted to a motorist where a factual issue existed as to whether the motorist or a bicyclist was in the favored position to proceed into the intersection. Luellman v. Ambroz, 2 Neb. App. 855, 516 N.W.2d 627 (1993).