§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. The lights 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 Subparagraphs (c) and (e) 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 Subparagraphs (c) and (e) 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)(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, including this Paragraph, if the driver of a two or three-wheeled motorcycle, moped, or bicycle or any electric bicycle approaches an intersection influenced by a vehicle-actuated control, the driver may proceed through the intersection on a steady red light only if the driver does all of the following:

           (aa) Comes to, and maintains, a full and complete stop at the intersection for two complete cycles of the traffic-control signal or for two minutes, whichever occurs first.

           (bb) Treats the traffic control device as a stop sign.

           (cc) Determines it is safe to proceed.

           (dd) Yields the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk.

           (ee) Yields the right-of-way to the driver of any vehicle approaching an intersection from either direction.

           (ii) For purposes of this Subparagraph, the following definitions shall apply:

           (aa) "Cycle" means the total time to complete one sequence of signalization for all movements at an intersection. In a vehicle-actuated controller system, the cycle is a complete sequence of all signal indications.

           (bb) "Vehicle-actuated control" means a system that manages the signal through automatically moving vehicles. The actuated signal timing is influenced by traffic demand, and it is detected through sensors at all the approaches. Two complete cycles of a traffic-control signal constitutes being vehicle-actuated influenced.

           (f) 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.

           (g) 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.

           (h) 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.

           (i) If the violation involves entering a shoulder or turn lane to overtake a vehicle that is stopped or slowing to a stop at a red indication, but does not result in an injury, the offender shall be fined two hundred fifty dollars.

           (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.

           Acts 1962, No. 310, §1. Amended by Acts 1976, No. 152, §1; Acts 1978, No. 551, §1; Acts 2011, No. 244, §, eff. August 15, 2011; Acts 2013, No. 43, §1, eff. May 29, 2013; Acts 2024, No. 269, §1, eff. August 1, 2024; Acts 2026, No. 808, §1, eff. August 1, 2026; Acts 2026, No. 951, §1, eff. August 1, 2026.