(A) Authority of Police and Fire Department officials. It shall be the duty of the officers of the Police Department of such officers as are assigned by the Chief of Police to enforce all street traffic laws of the city and all of the state vehicle laws applicable to street traffic in the city. Officers of the Police Department, or such officers as are assigned by the Chief of Police, are hereby authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand or signal in conformance with traffic laws; provided that, in the event of a fire or other emergency or to expedite traffic or to safeguard pedestrians, officers of the Police Department may direct traffic as conditions may require notwithstanding the provisions of the traffic laws. Officers of the Fire Department, when at the scene of a fire, may direct or assist the police in directing traffic thereat or in the immediate vicinity.
(B) Obedience to Police and Fire Department officials. It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction of a police officer or Fire Department official.
(C) Persons propelling push carts or riding animals. Every person propelling any push cart or riding an animal upon a roadway, and every person driving an animal drawn vehicle shall be subject to provisions of this chapter applicable to the driver of any vehicle, except those provisions of this chapter which, by their very nature, can have no application.
(D) Use of coasters, roller skates and similar devices restricted. It shall be unlawful for any person upon roller skates, or riding in or by means of any coaster, toy vehicle or similar device to go upon any roadway, except while crossing a street on a crosswalk, and when so crossing such person shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to pedestrians. This section shall not apply upon any street while set aside as a play street as authorized by law of the city.
(E) Public employees to obey traffic regulations. The provisions of this chapter shall apply to the driver of any vehicle owned by or used in the service of the United States Government, the state, county or city and it shall be unlawful for any said driver to violate any of the provisions of this chapter, except as otherwise permitted in this chapter or by state statute.
(F) Exceptions to authorized emergency vehicles.
(1) The provisions of this chapter regulating the operation, parking and standing of vehicles shall apply to authorized emergency vehicles, as defined in this chapter, except as follows:
(a) Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation;
(b) Exceed the prima facie speed limits so long as he or she does not endanger life or property; and
(c) Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions so long as he or she does not endanger life or property.
(2) Those exceptions hereinbefore granted in reference to movement of an authorized emergency vehicle shall apply only when the driver of said vehicle sounds a siren, bell or exhaust whistle as may be reasonably necessary, and the vehicle displays a lighted red lamp visible from the front as a warning to others.
(3) The foregoing exemptions shall not, however, protect the driver of any such vehicle from the consequence of his or her reckless disregard of the safety of others.
(G) Operation of vehicles on approach of authorized emergency vehicles.
(1) Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle equipped with at least one lighted lamp exhibiting red light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of 500 feet to the front of such vehicle may be giving audible signal by siren, exhaust whistle or bell.
(2) The driver of every vehicle shall yield the right-of-way and shall immediately drive to a position parallel to, and as close as possibly to the right edge or curb of the roadway clear of any intersection and shall stop and remain in such position until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed, except when otherwise directed by a police officer.
(3) This section shall not operate to relieve the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons using the highway.
(H) Duty to stop in event of accident.
(1) Whenever an automobile, motor truck, motorcycle or any motor vehicle strikes any person or collides with any vehicle containing a person, the driver of such automobile, motor truck, motorcycle or other motor vehicle, or any person who has or assumes authority over such a driver, shall immediately cause such automobiles, motor truck, motorcycle or other motor vehicle to stop, and shall render to the persons struck or to the occupants of the vehicle collided with, all necessary assistance, including the carrying of such person or occupant to a physician or surgeon for medical or surgical treatment, if such treatment be required, or if such carrying is requested by the person struck or the occupant of the vehicle struck, and such driver, and the person having or assuming authority over such driver shall further give to the occupant of such vehicle or person struck, the license plate number of such automobile, motor truck, motorcycle or other motor vehicle or person struck, the license plate number of such automobile, motor truck, motorcycle or other motor vehicle, also the name of the owner thereof and the name of the passenger or passengers, not exceeding five, in such automobile, motor truck, motorcycle or other vehicle at the time of such striking or collision.
(2) Every person convicted under this section, upon a charge of failure to stop after an accident resulting in injury or death of any person, shall be punished by imprisonment in the municipal jail for not less than 30 days, nor more than 90 days, or by a fine of not less than $100, nor more than $300, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
(I) Report of accidents. The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident within the city resulting in injury to or death of any person, or in property damage in excess of $250, shall immediately by the quickest means of communications give notice of such accident to the Police Department.
(J) Garage keeper to report damaged vehicles. The person in charge of any garage or repair shop to which is brought any motor vehicle which shows evidence of having been involved in a serious accident, or struck by any bullet, shall report to the police headquarters of the city within one hour after such motor vehicle has been received, giving the motor number, manufacturer’s number, name and model, license plate number and the name and address of the owner or operator of such vehicle if such is known.
(1992 Code, § 8-1-302)