GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1005

Short Title:  Funeral Processions.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Wainwright; Alexander, Alphin, Baddour, Balmer, Beall, Black, Bowie, Bowman, Braswell, Brawley, D. Brown, J. Brown, Brubaker, Burton, Church, Cole, Colton, Crawford, Creech, Culp, Cummings, Cunningham, Decker, DeVane, Dockham, Easterling, Edwards, Ellis, Esposito, Fitch, Flaherty, Fussell, Gamble, Gist, Gottovi, Grady, Gray, Green, Hall, Hayes, Hensley, Hightower, Hill, Holt, Judy Hunt, H. Hunter, R. Hunter, Ives, James, Jarrell, Jeffus, Joye, Justus, Kennedy, Kinney, Kuczmarski, Lee, Lemmond, Luebke, Lutz, Mavretic, McAllister, McCrary, McLawhorn, Mercer, Michaux, B. Miller, Morgan, Nesbitt, Nichols, Nye, Oldham, C. Preston, J. Preston, Ramsey, Richardson, Rogers, Russell, Smith, Spears, Stamey, Stewart, Tallent, R. Thompson, Warner, Weatherly, Wilkins, Wilmoth, and Wright.
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Referred to:  Transportation.
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April 19, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO REGULATE FUNERAL PROCESSIONS AND TO CODIFY THE RULES OF THE ROAD WITH REGARD TO FUNERAL PROCESSIONS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Chapter 20 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 20-160.1.  Funeral processions.
(a)	As used in this section, a 'funeral procession' means an array of motor vehicles in which the lead vehicle is either a State or local law enforcement vehicle or the lead vehicle displays a flashing amber light, sign, pennant, flag, or other insignia furnished by a funeral home indicating a funeral procession.
(b)	Each vehicle in the funeral procession shall be operated with its headlights illuminated.
(c)	The operator of the leading vehicle in a funeral procession shall comply with all traffic-control signals, but when the lead vehicle in the funeral procession has progressed across an intersection in accordance with the traffic-control signal, all vehicles in the funeral procession may proceed without stopping.
(d)	Vehicles in a funeral procession shall drive on the right-hand side of the roadway and shall follow the vehicle ahead as closely as practical and safe.
(e)	Operators of vehicles in funeral processions shall yield the right-of-way to emergency vehicles giving audible signals by siren and shall yield the right-of-way when directed to do so by a law enforcement officer.
(f)	On highways and interstates, vehicles in funeral processions shall proceed at the posted minimum speed.  Where there is no minimum posted speed, the funeral procession shall proceed at a speed no less than five miles per hour under the posted speed.
(g)	Oncoming traffic shall proceed normally when meeting a funeral procession.
(h)	Vehicles following a funeral procession on a two-lane highway shall not attempt to pass the funeral procession.
(i)	No operator of a vehicle shall drive between vehicles in a funeral procession unless directed to do so by a law enforcement officer.   No operator of a vehicle facing a green light at an intersection through which a funeral procession is proceeding, pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, shall enter the intersection unless doing so will not cross the path of the funeral procession.
(j)	Funeral processions may be escorted by State or local law enforcement officers in or on properly marked law enforcement vehicles."
Sec. 2.  This act becomes effective December 1, 1993.