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Ignorance of laws regarding funeral procession could lead to bad situation
Here is an article from Eastern Arizona Courier about funeral procession issues as they arise with population growth.
Recently, a funeral procession wended its way southward to the Safford Cemetery.
There was no way at all to identify it as a funeral procession from the rear. The vehicles proceeded south in the outside lane, maybe 40 to 50 vehicles, with the hearse at the head.
Other southbound traffic in the inside lane was deterred from passing the procession by a large truck, some 10 vehicles behind the hearse, splitting the lanes and effectively blocking the open southbound lane.
Northbound traffic, also, had pulled over and waited for the procession to pass.
As I, southbound, approached the traffic slowdown around the Circle K, I moved to the inside lane and proceeded, not realizing what was occurring until I had passed 75 percent of the procession and encountered the truck, which pulled left in order to prevent my passage and that of other motorists behind me.
Now, I have as much respect for a funeral as anyone, but, especially considering our local growth and the increasing traffic load on First Avenue (US Highway 191), there are far too many folks who don’t know what is legally required here.
As stated in Arizona Revised Statute 28-776, licensed funeral escorts are to be used to identify such processions. There were none.
Furthermore, even when licensed escorts are present, the law states that right-of-way shall be given to the procession by motorists and pedestrians. Normal traffic progress is not an impediment of the right-of-way as they travel in the unused lane, in this case, the inside southbound lane.
Nor is any northbound traffic required to stop and pull over as the procession passes. . . Respect is fine, but, as traffic volume increases, the stress due to conflicting interpretation of the laws is bound to cause dangerous situations, including road rage and accidents.
The large truck that impeded southbound traffic in the inside lane obviously meant well, but the driver was, as are so many, ignorant of the law and could have been ticketed for impeding traffic.
I have driven in far too many of these funeral processions myself, both here in Safford and elsewhere. The public and the funeral industry desperately need an education in the laws before one sad funeral leads to another.
Norm Johnson
Safford ~ 5/23/07
Recently, a funeral procession wended its way southward to the Safford Cemetery.
There was no way at all to identify it as a funeral procession from the rear. The vehicles proceeded south in the outside lane, maybe 40 to 50 vehicles, with the hearse at the head.
Other southbound traffic in the inside lane was deterred from passing the procession by a large truck, some 10 vehicles behind the hearse, splitting the lanes and effectively blocking the open southbound lane.
Northbound traffic, also, had pulled over and waited for the procession to pass.
As I, southbound, approached the traffic slowdown around the Circle K, I moved to the inside lane and proceeded, not realizing what was occurring until I had passed 75 percent of the procession and encountered the truck, which pulled left in order to prevent my passage and that of other motorists behind me.
Now, I have as much respect for a funeral as anyone, but, especially considering our local growth and the increasing traffic load on First Avenue (US Highway 191), there are far too many folks who don’t know what is legally required here.
As stated in Arizona Revised Statute 28-776, licensed funeral escorts are to be used to identify such processions. There were none.
Furthermore, even when licensed escorts are present, the law states that right-of-way shall be given to the procession by motorists and pedestrians. Normal traffic progress is not an impediment of the right-of-way as they travel in the unused lane, in this case, the inside southbound lane.
Nor is any northbound traffic required to stop and pull over as the procession passes. . . Respect is fine, but, as traffic volume increases, the stress due to conflicting interpretation of the laws is bound to cause dangerous situations, including road rage and accidents.
The large truck that impeded southbound traffic in the inside lane obviously meant well, but the driver was, as are so many, ignorant of the law and could have been ticketed for impeding traffic.
I have driven in far too many of these funeral processions myself, both here in Safford and elsewhere. The public and the funeral industry desperately need an education in the laws before one sad funeral leads to another.
Norm Johnson
Safford ~ 5/23/07