North Dakota Code § 39-10-72

Funeral processions - Traffic regulations
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this section
1. Notwithstanding any traffic-control device, a law enforcement officer leading a funeral 
procession may proceed through any intersection or make any turns or other 
movements necessary while leading the procession. The officer, without regard to any 
traffic-control device, may direct other drivers not in the funeral procession to stop, 
turn, proceed, or make other movements. When leading the funeral procession, the 
officer must be in a marked patrol vehicle and the vehicle's lighted headlamps, 
taillamps, and top -mounted and grill -mounted signal lamps must be displayed at all 
times during the procession.
2. Notwithstanding any traffic-control device or provision governing the right of way, 
whenever a law enforcement officer leading a funeral procession enters an 

intersection, the remainder of the vehicles in the funeral procession may follow through 
the intersection. Each vehicle in the procession, however, must exercise reasonable 
care toward any other vehicle or pedestrian on the roadway.
3. Notwithstanding any traffic -control device or provision governing rights of way and 
subject to the following conditions, vehicles in a funeral procession have the right of 
way.
a. All vehicles in a funeral procession must display lighted headlamps, taillamps, 
and flashing emergency lamps.
b. All vehicles in a funeral procession must follow the preceding vehicle in the 
procession as closely as is safe and practicable.
c. The driver of a vehicle in a funeral procession shall yield the right of way to an 
approaching emergency vehicle when directed to do so by a law enforcement 
officer or when the vehicle is giving an audible or visual signal.
d. A vehicle that becomes separated from the funeral procession and the law 
enforcement escort, so that the procession is no longer continuous, must proceed 
to its destination in a safe and prudent manner obeying all traffic signals and 
general rules of the road.
4. Other vehicles shall conform to the following rules:
a. The driver of a vehicle may not drive between the vehicles comprising a funeral 
procession while those vehicles are in motion, except when authorized to do so 
by a law enforcement officer or when such vehicle is an emergency vehicle giving 
an audible or visible signal.
b. The driver of a vehicle not part of a funeral procession may not join a funeral 
procession for the purpose of securing the right of way granted under subsection 
3.
c. The driver of a vehicle not in a funeral procession may not pass vehicles in such 
a procession on a two-lane highway or roadway.
d. The driver of a vehicle may pass a funeral procession on its left side on any 
multiple-lane highway whenever such passing can be done safely, unless the 
procession is in the farthest left lane, in which case passing is permissible on the 
right.
e. When a funeral procession is proceeding through a red signal as permitted by 
subsection 3, a vehicle that is not in the procession may not enter the intersection 
unless it can do so without crossing the path of the funeral procession. If the red 
signal changes to green while the funeral procession is still within the 
intersection, a vehicle facing a green signal may proceed, but the funeral 
procession has the right of way.

‹ Prev All North Dakota sections Next ›


Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.