Funeral procession safety?

Question

What do you think of the idea of revising traffic laws to remove the additional considerations for funeral processions (i.e. making them obey traffic signals)?

I think there are major safety issues with funeral processions proceeding through traffic signals without stopping, particularly in heavy traffic areas and without police escorts stopping traffic at major intersections.

Try googling "Funeral procession accident" I got like 88k hits.

Some people may think this is an issue of respect, but I think safety must be taken into consideration. Too many people have died in accidents with (or in) funeral processions when their vehicles do something another driver didn't anticipate.

I saw a near accident that really scared me. Legally, it would have been the "fault" of the driver that proceeded through the green light (as he would have at ANY other time), but that is something that could really happen to anyone if they didn't notice the funeral.

Answer 1

Only one state, Nevada, specifically allows the lead or escort vehicle in a funeral procession to go through a red light. Five states, Arizona, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, and North Dakota, grant funeral processions the right-of-way at intersections without regard to any traffic control signal. In these states, the escort vehicle driver can direct the procession to proceed through an intersection or make any necessary movements despite any traffic control signals. These laws imply that the lead funeral escort vehicle can disregard a red traffic signal.

In 15 other states, properly identified vehicles in a funeral procession can disregard a red light and pass through the intersection if the lead vehicle lawfully went through the signal when it was green and subsequently changed to red.

Proper identification usually involves lighted headlights, but some states also require other identification, such as flags or flashing lights. In Michigan, the law gives funeral processions the right-of-way at intersections, but it is not specific with respect to traffic signals. Several court decisions have interpreted the authority to include signalized intersections as well.

In Iowa, the law is not specific regarding intersections, but provides that drivers of vehicles in the procession cannot be charged with violating traffic rules and regulations with regard to traffic devices and signals, unless operating the vehicle recklessly.

Six other states also have laws relating to the continuity of funeral processions, although they do not specifically grant right-of-way.

Answer 2

In most places it is a matter of respect and courtesy. The problem with that is, there is no respect or courtesy on the roads of this country anymore. The ironic thing is that in places where a funeral procession is alowed to go through red lights and people are somewhat courteous about it, there is usually a police officer stopping traffic. Other places the police department actually has a charge for that service. Usually in the $500 range.

Answer 3

I never understood the nonsense that funerals should have the right of way. As you said there have been to many accidents caused by this stupidity. There is no emergency involved and why should the living have to be put at risk buy the dead.

Answer 4

I dont belive that funeral processions should be able to break traffic laws unless they have a police escort.

I know that there is a law in Australia that cars must give way to a funeral procession, however, I dont believe that law extends to traffic lights, and I would imagine that the law was made before traffic lights were invented, and has never been amended.

The rule once was that if you were travelling in a funeral procession, you must have your lights on, and the undertaker was meant to get out of the hearse, and stop traffic until the last car had cleared the intersection. I dont see that happening too much now, in most cases the hearse goes through the intersection and if anyone is aware of the rule they might stop, however, its not a regular thing.