§2071. Turning and signals

1.  Prohibition.  An operator may not turn a vehicle or move right or left on a public way unless the movement can be made with reasonable safety.

[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]

2.  Turn signal.  An operator must give a turn signal as follows.

A. An operator may not turn a vehicle without giving an appropriate signal if other traffic may be affected by that movement.   [PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. Q, §46 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, §2 (AFF).]

B. A turn signal must be given continuously during at least the last 100 feet traveled before turning.   [PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. Q, §46 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, §2 (AFF).]

[PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. Q, §46 (RPR); PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, §2 (AFF).]

3.  Stop signal.  An operator may not stop or suddenly decrease a vehicle's speed without first giving an appropriate signal to the operator of a vehicle immediately to the rear.

[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]

4.  Types of signals.  A stop or turn signal must be given by the hand and arm, a signal light or mechanical signal device.

A. When a vehicle is constructed or loaded so that a hand and arm signal is not visible to the front and rear, then signals must be given by a light or device.   [PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. Q, §46 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, §2 (AFF).]

B. A light signal must emit a white or amber light to the front and a red or amber light to the rear for turn signals and red to the rear for stop signals.   [PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. Q, §46 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, §2 (AFF).]

[PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. Q, §46 (RPR); PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, §2 (AFF).]

5.  Hand signals.  Signals by hand and arm must be given by the left arm from the left side of a vehicle in the following manner:

A. To indicate a left turn, the hand and arm must be extended horizontally;   [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]

B. To indicate a right turn, the hand and arm must be extended upward, except that a person who is operating a bicycle or roller skis is not in violation of this subsection if the person signals a right turn by extending the person's right hand and arm horizontally; and   [PL 2009, c. 484, §8 (AMD).]

C. To indicate a stop or a decrease in speed, the hand and arm must be extended downward.   [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]

A person operating a bicycle may return the hand used to signal a turn to the handlebars during the turn to maintain proper control of the bicycle. A roller skier may return the hand used to signal a turn to a position required to maintain proper control of the roller skis during the turn.

[PL 2009, c. 484, §8 (AMD).]

6.  Fire departments exempted.  This section does not apply to vehicles operated by organized fire departments.

[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 1993, c. 683, §A2 (NEW). PL 1993, c. 683, §B5 (AFF). PL 1995, c. 371, §2 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 148, §4 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 452, §Q46 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 452, §X2 (AFF). PL 2009, c. 484, §8 (AMD).