The driver of any vehicle, motor vehicle, tractor or animal shall obey the instructions of any official traffic-control device, sign, signal or marking applicable thereto placed in accordance with this article, unless otherwise directed by an authorized law enforcement officer, subject to the exceptions granted the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle.
(1992 Code, sec. 10.101; 2006 Code, sec. 12.101)
(a) 
The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency call or when in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law, or when responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm, may exercise the privileges set forth in this article, but subject to the conditions herein stated.
(b) 
The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle may:
(1) 
Park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of this article or any ordinance;
(2) 
Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation;
(3) 
Exceed the prima facie speed limits so long as he/she does not endanger life or property;
(4) 
Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions.
(c) 
The exemptions herein granted to an authorized emergency vehicle shall apply only when such vehicle is making use of authorized audible and visual signals, except that an authorized emergency vehicle operated as a police vehicle need not be equipped with or display a red light visible from the front of the vehicle. The foregoing provisions shall not relieve the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons, nor shall such provisions protect the driver from the consequences of his/her reckless disregard for the safety of others.
(d) 
Provisions of this article applicable to drivers upon the highways shall apply to the drivers of all vehicles owned or operated by the United States, the state, or any county, city, town, district or any other political subdivision of the state, subject to such specific exceptions as are set forth in this article with reference to authorized emergency vehicles.
(1992 Code, sec. 10.102; 2006 Code, sec. 12.102)
(a) 
No person shall place, maintain, or display upon or in view of any highway, street or alley any unauthorized sign, signal, marking or device which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles an official traffic-control device or railroad sign or signal, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic, or which hides from view or interferes with the effectiveness of any official control device or any railroad sign or signal.
(b) 
No person shall place or maintain nor shall any public authority permit upon any highway, street, or alley any traffic sign or signal bearing thereon any commercial advertising. This section shall not be deemed to prohibit the erection upon private property adjacent to highways, streets or alleys of signs giving useful directional information and of a type that cannot be mistaken for official signs. Every such prohibited sign, signal or marking is hereby declared to be a public nuisance, and the policing authority or law enforcement agency is hereby empowered to remove the same or cause it to be removed without notice.
(1992 Code, sec. 10.103; 2006 Code, sec. 12.103)
No person shall without lawful authority attempt to or in fact alter, deface, injure, knock down or remove any official traffic-control device, sign, or signal or any railroad sign or signal or any inscription, shield, or insignia thereon, or any part thereof.
(1992 Code, sec. 10.104; 2006 Code, sec. 12.104)
The town manager shall authorize that designated employees of the town shall have the duty of erecting or installing upon, over, along, or beside any highway, street or alley signs, signals and markings or causing the same to be erected, installed or placed in accordance with this article and to conform and be consistent with state law. Said traffic-control devices shall be installed as soon as such specific device, sign, or signal can be procured.
(Ordinance 439, sec. 2, adopted 6/26/06; 2006 Code, sec. 12.105; Ordinance adopting 2021 Code)
It shall be unlawful for any person to drive or operate a motor vehicle through any intersection where stop signs, signal lights and other traffic-control markings are erected without coming to a full stop immediately before entering the intersection or complying with the state law applicable to stop signs, signal lights or other traffic-control markings erected along the streets or roads on and along which the said stop signs, signal lights or other traffic-control signs are displayed.
(1992 Code, sec. 10.106; 2006 Code, sec. 12.106)