Editor's Note—Per the County's request of June 15, 2007, previous sections 310.050 was renumbered to coordinate with state statute numbering and set out in this Chapter.
Editor’s Note: In this Chapter the words "Sheriff’s Deputy" are changed to "police officer" pursuant to the St. Charles County Charter Article IV, Sections 4.250 and 4.1300, as amended in 2012 and effective 1-1-2015, and St. Charles County Ord. No. 15-012, Section 2, adopted 1-26-2015.
[Ord. No. 07-017 §1, 1-30-2007]
A. 
Every person operating a motor vehicle shall drive the vehicle in a careful and prudent manner and at a rate of speed so as not to endanger the property of another or the life or body of any person, including the driver or passengers of the vehicle, and shall exercise the highest degree of care.
B. 
A violation of this Section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or by imprisonment in the St. Charles County Jail for a term not to exceed one (1) year, or by both fine and imprisonment. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day a violation occurs or continues. Enforcement of this Section shall be the responsibility of the County Counselor.
[Ord. No. 08-092 §2, 8-1-2008]
A. 
The following rules shall govern the overtaking and passing of vehicles proceeding in the same direction, subject to limitations and exceptions hereinafter stated:
1. 
The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left thereof at a safe distance and shall not again drive to the right side of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle; and
2. 
Except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall give way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle and shall not increase the speed of such driver's vehicle until completely passed by the overtaken vehicle.
B. 
The driver of a motor vehicle may overtake and pass to the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions:
1. 
When the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a left turn;
2. 
Upon a one-way street; or
3. 
Upon any highway with unobstructed pavement of sufficient width and clearly marked for four (4) or more lanes of traffic. The driver of a motor vehicle may overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right only under the foregoing conditions when such movement may be made in safety. In no event shall such movement be made by driving off the paved or main traveled portion of the roadway.
C. 
Except when a roadway has been divided into three (3) traffic lanes, no vehicle shall be driven to the left side of the centerline of a highway or public road in overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction unless such left side is clearly visible and is free of oncoming traffic for a sufficient distance ahead to permit such overtaking and passing to be completely made without interfering with the safe operation of any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction or any vehicle overtaken.
D. 
No vehicle shall at any time be driven to the left side of the roadway under the following conditions:
1. 
When approaching the crest of a grade or upon a curve of the highway where the driver's view is obstructed within such a distance as to create a hazard in the event another vehicle might approach from the opposite direction;
2. 
When the view is obstructed upon approaching within one hundred (100) feet of any bridge, viaduct, tunnel, or when approaching within one hundred (100) feet or at any intersection or railroad grade crossing.
E. 
Violation of this Section is a misdemeanor punishable in accordance with Section 300.001(E), OSCCMo.
[Ord. No. 08-092 §2, 8-1-2008]
A. 
The driver of a vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonably safe and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicle and traffic upon and the condition of the roadway. Vehicles being driven upon any roadway outside of a business or residential district in a caravan or motorcade, whether or not towing other vehicles, shall be so operated, except in a funeral procession or in a duly authorized parade, so as to allow sufficient space between each such vehicle or combination of vehicles as to enable any other vehicle to overtake or pass such vehicles in safety.
B. 
Violation of this Section is a misdemeanor punishable in accordance with Section 300.001(E), OSCCMo.
[Ord. No. 08-030 §3, 3-3-2008]
A. 
No person shall stop or suddenly decrease the speed of or turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving of an appropriate signal in the manner provided herein.
1. 
An operator or driver when stopping, or when checking the speed of the operator's vehicle, if the movement of other vehicles may reasonably be affected by such checking of speed, shall extend such operator's arm at an angle below horizontal so that the same may be seen in the rear of the vehicle;
2. 
An operator or driver intending to turn the operator's vehicle to the right shall extend such operator's arm at an angle above horizontal so that the same may be seen in front of and in the rear of the vehicle and shall slow down and approach the intersecting highway as near as practicable to the right side of the highway along which such operator is proceeding before turning;
3. 
An operator or driver intending to turn the operator's vehicle to the left shall extend such operator's arm in a horizontal position so that the same may be seen in the rear of the vehicle and shall slow down and approach the intersecting highway so that the left side of the vehicle shall be as near as practicable to the centerline of the highway along which the operator is proceeding before turning;
4. 
The signals herein required shall be given either by means of the hand and arm or by a signal light device in good mechanical condition of a type approved by the State Highway Patrol; however, when a vehicle is so constructed or loaded that a hand and arm signal would not be visible both to the front and rear of such vehicle, then such signals shall be given by such light or device. A vehicle shall be considered as so constructed or loaded that a hand and arm signal would not be visible both to the front and rear when the distance from the center of the top of the steering post to the left outside limit of the body, cab or load exceeds twenty-four (24) inches, or when the distance from the center of the top of the steering post to the rear limit of the body or load thereon exceeds fourteen (14) feet, which limit of fourteen (14) feet shall apply to single vehicles or combinations of vehicles. The provisions of this Subsection shall not apply to any trailer which does not interfere with a clear view of the hand signals of the operator or of the signaling device upon the vehicle pulling such trailer; provided further that the provisions of this Section as far as mechanical devices on vehicles so constructed that a hand and arm signal would not be visible both to the front and rear of such vehicle as above provided shall only be applicable to new vehicles registered within this State after the first (1st) day of January, 1954.
B. 
Violation of this Section shall be punishable in accordance with Section 300.001(E), OSCCMo.
[Ord. No. 08-092 §2, 8-1-2008]
A. 
Upon approaching a stationary emergency vehicle displaying lighted red or red and blue lights, the driver of every motor vehicle shall:
1. 
Proceed with caution and yield the right-of-way, if possible with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, by making a lane change into a lane not adjacent to that of the stationary vehicle, if on a roadway having at least four (4) lanes with not less than two (2) lanes proceeding in the same direction as the approaching vehicle; or
2. 
Proceed with due caution and reduce the speed of the vehicle, maintaining a safe speed for road conditions, if changing lanes would be unsafe or impossible.
B. 
Violation of this Section is a misdemeanor punishable in accordance with Section 300.001(E), OSCCMo.
[Ord. No. 08-092 §2, 8-1-2008]
A. 
The driver of a vehicle upon a highway, upon meeting or overtaking from either direction any school bus which has stopped on the highway for the purpose of receiving or discharging any school children and whose driver has in the manner prescribed by law given the signal to stop, shall stop the vehicle before reaching such school bus and shall not proceed until such school bus resumes motion or until signaled by its driver to proceed.
B. 
The driver of a vehicle upon a highway with separate roadways need not stop upon meeting or overtaking a school bus which is on a different roadway, or which is proceeding in the opposite direction on a highway containing four (4) or more lanes of traffic, or which is stopped in a loading zone constituting part of, or adjacent to, a limited or controlled access highway at a point where pedestrians are not permitted to cross the roadway.
C. 
If any vehicle is witnessed by a St. Charles County police officer or the driver of a school bus to have violated the provisions of this Section and the identity of the operator is not otherwise apparent, it shall be a rebuttable presumption that the person in whose name such vehicle is registered committed the violation. In the event that charges are filed against multiple owners of a motor vehicle, only one of the owners may be convicted and court costs may be assessed against only one of the owners. If the vehicle which is involved in the violation is registered in the name of a rental or leasing company and the vehicle is rented or leased to another person at the time of the violation, the rental or leasing company may rebut the presumption by providing the police officer or County Counselor's office with a copy of the rental or lease agreement in effect at the time of the violation. The County Counselor's office may not bring any legal proceedings against a rental or leasing company under this Section unless prior written notice of the violation has been given to that rental or leasing company by registered mail at the address appearing on the registration and the rental or leasing company has failed to provide the rental or lease agreement copy within fifteen (15) days of receipt of such notice.
D. 
Violation of this Section is a misdemeanor punishable in accordance with Section 300.001(E), OSCCMo.
[Ord. No. 08-092 §2, 8-1-2008]
A. 
Designated disabled parking spaces may only be used when a disabled person, who has been issued disabled license plates or windshield hanging placards pursuant to the provisions of Section 301.142, RSMo., or by those States with which the Missouri Director of Revenue has entered into reciprocity agreements as provided in Section 301.142, RSMo., is then, or immediately preceding being parked, was an occupant of the motor vehicle bearing the disabled license plate or windshield hanging placard or in cases where the motor vehicle bearing the disabled license plate or windshield hanging placard is then being used to deliver or collect one (1) or more of the disabled persons for whom the disabled license plate or windshield hanging placard was issued.
B. 
The driver, or any occupant, of a motor vehicle bearing disabled license plates or a windshield hanging placard which is parked or has been observed to have been parking in a duly designated disabled parking space shall, upon request from any St. Charles County police officer, produce the disabled registration certificate issued to the disabled person or entity as provided for in Section 301.142, RSMo., or such other authorization to show that the driver or any occupant of the vehicle is lawfully entitled to use a designated disabled parking space. The driver or any occupant of the motor vehicle shall, in addition to the certificate, produce other identification with a photograph of the disabled person for whom the disabled plates or windshield hanging placard was issued.
C. 
If the driver, or an occupant, of a motor vehicle which is parked or has been observed to have parked in a designated disabled parking space is unable to, or cannot, produce the certificate as provided for in Section 301.142, RSMo., or other proper authorization showing that the vehicle is being used, or has been lawfully parking in a disabled parking space, the operator is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable in accordance with Section 300.001(E), OSCCMo. However, no person shall be found guilty of violating this Section if the operator produces such a certificate to the court that was valid at the time of the citation for a person who was using the vehicle.
D. 
The windshield hanging placard shall only be used when the vehicle is parked in a disabled parking space. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or drive a motor vehicle with a windshield hanging placard hanging from the inside rearview mirror.
[Ord. No. 08-092 §2, 8-1-2008]
A. 
Except in the case of an accident resulting in the injury or death of any person, the driver of a vehicle which for any reason obstructs the regular flow of traffic on the roadway of any highway shall make every reasonable effort to move the vehicle or have it moved so as not to block the regular flow of traffic.
B. 
Any person who fails to comply with the requirements of this Section is guilty of an infraction and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten dollars ($10.00) nor more than fifty dollars ($50.00).
[Ord. No. 08-092 §2, 8-1-2008]
A. 
It shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle to turn such vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction at any intersection controlled by traffic signal or Police Officer.
B. 
Violation of this Section is a misdemeanor punishable in accordance with Section 300.001(E), OSCCMo.
[Ord. No. 08-092 §2, 8-1-2008]
A. 
The driver of a vehicle approaching an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to a vehicle which has entered the intersection from a different highway, provided however, there is no form of traffic control at such intersection.
B. 
When two (2) vehicles enter an intersection from different highways at approximately the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the driver of the vehicle on the right. This Subsection shall not apply to vehicles approaching each other from opposite directions when the driver of one (1) of such vehicles is attempting to or is making a left turn.
C. 
The driver of a vehicle within an intersection and intending to turn to the left shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction which is within the intersection or so close thereto as to constitute an immediate hazard.
D. 
The driver of a vehicle intending to make a left turn into an alley, building or any private road or driveway shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction when the making of such left turn would create a traffic hazard.