Legal Question in Traffic Law in Missouri

Failure to obey traffic signal

I got a ''failure to obey traffic signal violation.

Exiting the highway going south. Typical stoplight at intersection of interstate and side street. Side street runs east/west. Instead of turning left at the intersection, I proceeded straight and got back on the interstate heading south. Stoplight has a left arrow no straight arrow or right arrow. Is this really a violation? Cop said since there was no straight arrow you had to turn left and couldn't go straight. But there's no right arrow either and that's legal.


Asked on 4/23/06, 8:48 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Anthony Smith LawSmith

Re: Failure to obey traffic signal

Your situation is a gray area in the law. Technically, the specific arrow lights only give you permission to go as directed. This allows you to enter the intersection. However, once in the intersection, you remain responsible for continued prudence in operating your vehicle. For example, if you had entered the interesection to turn left, as the light directed, and then heard an emergency vehicle's siren, you would have the implicit permission and even the duty to pull over to the right. This is not what the light directed. There probably was not full green light at this interesection that would allow the driver exiting the highway to reenter as you did.

If there was no collision or other violations, it is very likely that the prosecutor would be willing to plea this ticket down to a non-moving violation. Find an attorney in your area, and they can probably get this fixed for you. You may contact me if you wish.

Good Luck,

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Answered on 4/24/06, 12:02 pm


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