Watsonville Municipal Code Art. 3 Enforcement and Obedience to Traffic Regulations

(a) It shall be the duty of the officers of the Police Department, or such officers as are assigned by the Chief of Police, to enforce all street traffic laws of the City and all of the State vehicle laws applicable to street traffic in the City.

(b) Officers of the Police Department, or such officers as are assigned by the Chief of Police, are hereby authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand, or signal in conformance with traffic laws; provided, however, in the event of a fire or other emergency, or to expedite traffic or safeguard pedestrians, officers of the Police Department may direct traffic as conditions may require notwithstanding the provisions of the traffic laws.

(c) Officers of the Fire Department, when at the scene of a fire, may direct or assist police officers in directing traffic thereat or in the immediate vicinity.

(§ 1, Art. III, Ord. 486 N.C.S.)

It shall be a misdemeanor for any person to do any act forbidden or to fail to perform any act required by the provisions of this chapter.

(§ 2, Art. III, Ord. 486 N.C.S.)

No person shall willfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order of a police officer or Fire Department official when directing traffic.

(§ 3, Art. III, Ord. 486 N.C.S., as amended by § 1, Ord. 1180-04 C-M, eff. November 26, 2004)

No person, other than an officer of the Police Department or a person deputized by the Chief of Police or person authorized by law, shall direct, or attempt to direct, traffic by voice, hand, or other signal, except that persons may operate when and as provided in this chapter any mechanical pushbutton signal erected by order of the City Engineer.

(§ 4, Art. III, Ord. 486 N.C.S.)

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to the driver of any vehicle owned by or used in the service of the United States government, the State, or any county or city, and it shall be unlawful for any such driver to violate any of the provisions of this chapter except as otherwise permitted in this chapter or by State statute.

(§ 5, Art. III, Ord. 486 N.C.S.)

(a) The provisions of this chapter regulating the operation, parking, and standing of vehicles shall not apply to any vehicle of the Police or Fire Department, any public ambulance, any public utility vehicle, or any private ambulance, which public utility vehicle or private ambulance has qualified as an authorized emergency vehicle, when any vehicle mentioned in this section is operated in the manner specified in the Vehicle Code of the State in response to an emergency call.

(b) The exemptions set forth in subsection (a) of this section shall not, however, protect the driver of any such vehicle from the consequences of his willful disregard of the safety of others.

(c) The provisions of this chapter regulating the parking or standing of vehicles shall not apply to any vehicle of a City department or public utility while necessarily in use for construction or repair work or to any vehicle owned by the United States while in use for the collection, transportation, or delivery of United States mail.

(§ 6, Art. III, Ord. 486 N.C.S.)

(a) The driver of a vehicle or the person in charge of any animal involved in any accident resulting in damage to any property publicly owned or owned by a public utility, including, but not limited to, any fire hydrant, ornamental lighting post, telephone pole, or electric light or power pole, or resulting in damage to any ornamental shade tree, traffic control device, or other property of a like nature located in or along any street, shall, within twenty-four (24) hours after such accident, make a written report of such accident to the Police Department.

(b) Every such report shall state the time when and the place where the accident took place, the name and address of the person owning and of the person driving or in charge of such vehicle or animal, the license number of every such vehicle, and a brief description of the property damaged in such accident.

(c) A driver involved in an accident shall not be subject to the requirements or penalties of this section if and during the time such driver is physically incapable of making a report, but in such event such driver shall make a report as required in subsections (a) and (b) of this section within twenty-four (24) hours after regaining ability to make such report.

(§ 7, Art. III, Ord. 486 N.C.S.)