# Is there a place to read all the city and county traffic laws?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-to-read-all-the-city-and-county-traffic-laws/331924>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 20, 2005, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-to-read-all-the-city-and-county-traffic-laws/331924 "2005-11-20T11:42:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-to-read-all-the-city-and-county-traffic-laws/331924/1 "2005-11-20T11:42:54Z")

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Is there a place to read all the traffic laws for your city and county, including the minor ones about your vehicle like lights and decals and all that?

If there isn’t, I am going to petition that it be a law that it be available to citizens.

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**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-to-read-all-the-city-and-county-traffic-laws/331924/2 "2005-11-20T12:23:21Z")

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I don’t know abut Va., but in California the state makes the traffic laws, and you can go down to the DMV and buy a copy of the motor vehicle code for just a few dollars.  
Makes for very dry reading.

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**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-to-read-all-the-city-and-county-traffic-laws/331924/3 "2005-11-20T14:17:29Z")

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That would be a huge database. I have been able to find the statutes for every state that I have needed access, simply Google “state name” statutes. California is available [here](http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html) and they even have a search function. I was also able to find the statutes for the county I live in. Things such as lights and decals would be covered under state statutes. And most states defer to the NHTSA rules when it comes to vehicle lighting which is covered under Title 49, part 571, standard number 108 of the Federal Code.

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**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-to-read-all-the-city-and-county-traffic-laws/331924/4 "2005-11-20T14:43:07Z")

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A great place to start online for local ordinances is [http://www.municode.com/resources/online\_codes.asp](http://www.municode.com/resources/online_codes.asp). If you don’t find it there you can always search for “[city or county name] ordinances.” Of course not all municipalities have their ordinances online. Some you will have to call or visit to get your hands on the old-fashioned paper copy. Larger libraries in the state, especially law libraries or those with large law collections, will probably have a collection of municipal codes for the county or state.

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**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-to-read-all-the-city-and-county-traffic-laws/331924/5 "2005-11-20T16:49:47Z")

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The problem with most municipal ordinances is that they are not nicely codified like state laws. A city will pass Ordinance #1 dealing with trash collection, then Ordinance #2 dealing with parking, then Ordinance #3 dealing with fire protection. So it can be hard to find the ones about parking or traffic without a good index (in print) or someone putting in some metadata online.

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**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-to-read-all-the-city-and-county-traffic-laws/331924/6 "2005-11-21T02:55:43Z")

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That’s why it is good to check the site I referred to earlier. Online codes are usually pretty well organized. And that site is a well-organized index of online municipal codes. Falls Church, VA, for instance, has [one](http://library.municode.com/mcc/home.htm?infobase=10756&doc_method=cleardoc).The traffic ordinances are organized under the heading, “Motor Vehicles and Traffic.”

The problem for those trying to locate traffic laws is that traffic law is frequently governed by local ordinances _and_ state law. So you’d also have to look [here](http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+TOC4602000) to have a complete view of the traffic law of Falls Church.

If you are looking for an official summary of the state traffic law (as opposed to the laws themselves), you can usually find one at the [Department of Motor Vehicles](http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/citizen/drivers/vadm/vadm.asp). Some even have [traffic laws at a glance](http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/citizen/drivers/vadm/vadm3-1.asp).

[http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/laws.html](http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/laws.html) has links to state traffic and speed laws (and lots of driver manual links, too).

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**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-to-read-all-the-city-and-county-traffic-laws/331924/7 "2005-11-21T03:54:31Z")

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Each state has vehicle and traffic laws, which are predominantly close to identical from state to state. (We regularly have discussions here about the exceptions, such as whether the left lane of a four-lane highway is for passing only.)

In general, and this is either universal or nearly so, the cities and counties are limited to regulating speed limits on city streets and secondary roads, establishing parking regulations, and the like, not the overall vehicular codes of the states.

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**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-to-read-all-the-city-and-county-traffic-laws/331924/8 "2005-11-21T04:13:13Z")

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> [@Polycarp](#):
>
> In general, and this is either universal or nearly so, the cities and counties are limited to regulating speed limits on city streets and secondary roads, establishing parking regulations, and the like, not the overall vehicular codes of the states.

Municipal codes frequently have surprises in them, though. Sometimes they mirror state law, and sometimes they have additional stuff. Some random examples:

> [@](#):
>
> Sec. 20-6. Operators to give full time and attention.  
> No person shall operate a motor vehicle upon the streets of the city without giving his full time and attention to the operation of the vehicle.  
> (Code 1973, § 21-7)

> [@](#):
>
> Except as provided in Virginia Code Section 46.2-755, every person owning a motor driven vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or motorcycle, with a situs in the City of Falls Church as defined by the Code of Virginia Section 46.2-752, as amended, shall on or before the fifth day of October apply for a license from the city treasurer. Licenses so obtained must be displayed by November 15, 1994.

Both from [Falls Church](http://library.municode.com/mcc/home.htm?infobase=10756&doc_method=cleardoc)

> [@](#):
>
> Sec. 6.06.245. U-turns.  
> (a) The driver of a vehicle shall not make a U-turn upon any highway in a business district, except at an intersection or on a divided highway where an appropriate opening or crossing place exists.  
> (b) If an official traffic-control device indicates that a U-turn is prohibited, the driver shall obey the directions of the device.  
> (c) A U-turn may be made on any road where such turn can be made with safety, except as prohibited by this section and by the provisions of 6.06.246.  
> (d) Whenever any highway has been divided into two highways by leaving an intervening space or by a physical barrier or clearly indicated dividing section so constructed as to impede vehicular traffic, every vehicle shall be driven only upon the right-hand highway and a vehicle shall not be driven over, across or within any such dividing space, barrier or section nor make any left turn, semicircular turn or U-turn, except through an opening in such physical barrier by dividing section or space or at a crossover or intersection established by a public authority.  
> (Code 1966, § 8.24.060; Ord. No. 4987, § 1, 4-13-99)  
> State law references: U-turns, NRS 484.337.
> 
> Sec. 6.06.246. Turning on curve or crest of grade prohibited.  
> (a) A vehicle shall not be turned so as to proceed in the opposite direction upon any curve, or upon the approach to or near the crest of a grade, where such vehicle cannot be seen by the driver of any other vehicle approaching from either direction within 500 feet.  
> (Ord. No. 4988, § 1, 4-13-99)

[Reno, NV](http://library2.municode.com/mcc/home.htm?infobase=11467&doc_method=cleardoc)

> [@](#):
>
> 11.58.010 Operating with gears in neutral or clutch disengaged.  
> A. The driver of any motor vehicle when traveling upon a downgrade shall not coast with the gears of such vehicle in neutral.  
> B. No driver shall coast with the clutch disengaged when traveling upon a downgrade. This section shall not prevent the proper shifting of gears or the towing of a disabled vehicle. (RCW 46.61.630)  
> (Ord. 108200 § 2(11.58.010), 1979.)
> 
> 11.58.015 Use of compression brakes.  
> A. No person shall use compression brakes while operating a motor vehicle upon any street where signs prohibit the use of compression brakes, except as such use is necessary in an emergency.  
> B. Definitions.
> 
> 1. “Compression brakes” means a device which, when manually activated, retards the forward motion of a motor vehicle by the direct and sole use of the compression of the engine of the vehicle. “Compression brakes” are sometimes called “jake brakes.”
> 2. An “emergency” contemplates that an immediate stoppage or slowing of the vehicle is necessary in order to prevent injury to persons or damage to property or to remedy an injury that has already occurred, and that friction brakes are either not available or would not have been as effective in bringing the vehicle to a stop or slowing it.  
> C. This section shall not apply to vehicles of a municipal fire department, whether or not responding to an emergency, participating in an exercise in emergency management, or rendering assistance under a mutual aid pact.  
> D. Violation of this section shall be punished as an infraction.  
> (Ord. 116500 § 1, 1992.)
> 
> 11.58.020 Carrying persons on outside of vehicle.  
> No person shall transport any person upon the runningboard, fenders, hood or other outside parts of any vehicle, except that this provision shall not apply to authorized emergency vehicles or to garbage trucks, while engaged in the collection of garbage. (RCW 46.61.660)  
> (Ord. 108200 § 2(11.58.020), 1979.)
> 
> 11.58.025 Riding in trailers.  
> No person shall occupy any trailer while it is being moved upon a street or alley, except a person occupying a proper position for steering a trailer designed to be steered from a rear-end position. (RCW 46.61.625)  
> (Ord. 108200 § 2(11.58.025), 1979.)

[Seattle, WA](http://library.municode.com/mcc/home.htm?infobase=13857&doc_method=cleardoc)

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**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-to-read-all-the-city-and-county-traffic-laws/331924/9 "2005-11-21T15:28:40Z")

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[Municode.com](http://Municode.com) is my first stop.

Then, I’ll contact the municipal attorney’s office for guidance.

By law in VA, copies of hte municipal code has to be available to the citizens.

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**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-to-read-all-the-city-and-county-traffic-laws/331924/10 "2005-11-21T16:26:44Z")

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Is there similar in the UK, preferably online?

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**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-to-read-all-the-city-and-county-traffic-laws/331924/11 "2005-11-21T17:02:55Z")

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> [@Dead Cat](#):
>
> Is there similar in the UK, preferably online?

[http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/00.htm](http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/00.htm) is an online summary of _The Highway Code_

Here is an online service, but it’s not free: [http://www.sweetandmaxwell.co.uk/online/localaw.html](http://www.sweetandmaxwell.co.uk/online/localaw.html)

And here is a [book](http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0333904818/lawontheweb0a/202-1922690-5134206) . I actually read this guy’s book Sex and the Law, which was pretty good.

This [site](http://www.hull.ac.uk/lib/infoskills/laws.html) talks more broadly about UK legal research (online and off).

This site has UK “local and private” laws, and a search engine. [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/chron-tables/chron-index.htm](http://www.opsi.gov.uk/chron-tables/chron-index.htm)

That’s about the best I can do right now.