Traffic Regulations

To The Public:
On this page is a condensation of some of the more important traffic laws from the Traffic Code of the City of Lincoln. Traffic laws are enforced for the purpose of protecting life, limb, and property

Speeds

No driver shall operate a vehicle at a rate of speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under existing conditions.

5 miles per hour - Crossing any sidewalk when emerging from a garage, alley, filling station, or other place.

10 miles per hour - Traveling in an alley.

25 miles per hour - All city streets unless otherwise posted

Right-of Way

1. Turning Left. The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left within an intersection or into an alley, private road, or driveway, 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.
2. Pedestrians.
   1. When automatic traffic signals are not in place or not in operation, the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk who is in the lane in which the driver is proceeding or is in the lane immediately adjacent thereto, by bringing him or her vehicle to a complete stop.
   2. No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the driver to stop.
   3. Whenever any vehicle is stopped at a marked crosswalk or at any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, the driver of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass such stopped vehicle.
   4. No pedestrian shall cross a roadway at any place other than by a route at right angles to the curb or by the shortest route to the opposite curb except in a crosswalk.
   5. Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other that within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk a an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.
   6. Any pedestrian crossing a roadway at a point where a pedestrian tunnel or overhead pedestrian crossing has been provided shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.
   7. Between adjacent intersections at which automatic traffic signals are in operation, pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a crosswalk.
   8. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section there shall not be a crosswalk where the city traffic engineer has placed appropriate signs indicating no crossing.
3. Right Turn on Red Light: Except where prohibited by a police officer or traffic control device, the driver of a vehicle facing a steady red signal may make a right turn after coming to a complete stop and then yielding right-of-way to all pedestrians and traffic lawfully within the intersection.
4. Left Turn on Red Light: Except where prohibited by a police officer or traffic control device the driver of a vehicle on, a ONE-WAY street facing a steady red signal may make a left turn onto another ONE-WAY street in which all traffic is moving to the driver's left, after coming to a complete stop and the yielding the right-of-way to all pedestrians and traffic lawfully within the intersection

Seat Belts

Seat belt use is required by the driver and those passengers occupying the front seat of any motor vehicle that is equipped with passenger restraints.

Child Restraint

Children up to age 6 must ride correctly secured in a federally-approved child safety seat (applies to all seating positions).

All children ages 6 up to 18 are required to ride secured in a safety belt (or child safety seat, if desired) in all seating positions.

Parking

Parking time limits within any single block may not be used to more than once during the morning and once during the after noon by any single vehicle.

Yellow or orange paint indicates Bus Stops. No parking is permitted on these lines at any time.

Green lines are used for the purpose of loading and unloading merchandise or persons. Trucks may stop for 30 minutes maximum and passenger cars for 5 minutes.

Red paint indicates that parking or stopping of vehicles is entirely prohibited within such area.

Yellow double lines painted in the streets indicate no passing allowed.

No vehicle shall park in a designated handicapped parking space without displaying a handicapped permit or license plate.

Except when in compliance with the directions of a police officer or official traffic control device, it shall be unlawful for any person to park a vehicle upon a highway within 25 feet of the approach to any traffic stop sign or signal, and upon a highway within 25 feet of a crosswalk, or if none, then within 25 feet of the intersection of property lines at an intersection of highways.

Trucks in excess of 21 feet in length or trailers shall not be parked in residential districts except for delivery or collection purposes.

It is unlawful to park a vehicle in any alley, except for the time necessary for the actual loading or unloading.

It is unlawful to park any vehicle at one location for longer the' 24 hours.

It is unlawful to park a vehicle within five feet of a curb cut for a private drive.

If the driver of the car in violation of parking regulations cannot be determined, the registered owner of the car will be held responsible for violations.

Accidents

It shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in property damage, to fail to immediately stop such vehicle at the scene and the vehicle shall not be removed until the driver has furnished to the other proper owner(s) the driver's name and address and the registration number of such vehicle.

If the property damage to any one person exceeds $1000 or there is an injury to any person, the accident must be reported to the Lincoln Police Department.

Financial Responsibility

Every motor vehicle registered in Nebraska shall carry therein proof of financial responsibility.

U-Turns

U-TURNS - The driver of a vehicle intending to make a U-turn at any intersection shall approach the intersection in the extreme left-hand lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the same direction of travel of such vehicle and, after entering the intersection, the U-turn shall be made in one continuous movement directly into a lane available for traffic moving in the direction opposite from the direction of such vehicle before beginning said turn.

1. It shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle to turn such vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction, except at a street intersection or median crossover.
2. It shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle to turn such vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction where prohibited by a traffic control device.
3. It shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle to turn such vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction when such turning movement cannot be made in one continuous movement.
4. It shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle to turn such vehicle so as to proceed from one side of the street to the other in order to enter a parking space.
5. 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 within a congested district as defined by Lincoln Municipal Code Section 10.02.070.
6. No prohibitions in this section shall apply to a person operating a bicycle who first yields the right-of-way to any motor vehicle approaching upon said street.

Emergency Vehicles

Upon the approach of any emergency vehicle, drivers of ever vehicle shall immediately pull to the nearest curb and stop. It shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle, other than on official business, to follow an emergency vehicle or ambulance responding to a call closer than three hundred feet.

Tinted Windows

State law prohibits windshield sunscreen materials which are not clear and transparent below a parallel line 5' from the top of the windshield, and material which is red, yellow or amble above that parallel line. Front side windows cannot have sun screen material which has a luminous reflectance greater the 35% or light transmission less than 35%. Rear or back windows cannot have sunscreen material which has a luminous reflectance greater than 35% or light transmission less the 20%. This does not apply to rear or side windows behind the front seat of multi-purpose vehicles (constructed on true chassis or with special features for occasional off-road use vans or buses

Driving Over Fire Hose

It shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle to drive said vehicle over any unprotected fire hose.

Bicycle and Skateboard

Bicycles operated upon a roadway are subject to all duties and rights applicable to motor vehicles under Title 10 of the Lincoln Municipal Code, unless expressly excluded. Specific bicycle rules are found in Chapter 10.48.

Persons riding bicycles upon a street or roadway shall ride single file.

No person shall ride a skateboard upon a street or roadway.

No person riding a bicycle or skateboard shall hold onto another moving vehicle.

No more than one person may ride a bicycle unless said bicycle is constructed to carry the number of persons conveyed.

No person shall ride a bicycle or skateboard on a sidewalk within a congested district, including: Havelock Avenue from the west line of 61st Street to the east line of 63rd Street; University Place from N. 48th Street, Baldwin Avenue - Madison Avenue; College View from Prescott Street - Cooper Avenue, S. 47th Street - S. 48th Street; Bethany from the west side of 66th Street from Holdrege Street to Fairfax Street; Downtown from the south line of K Street to the north line of R Street, from the east line of 16th Street to the west line of 9th Street.

Bicycles and skateboards on any other sidewalk must yield to all pedestrians.