Legislation sponsored by Sen. Jim Lembke, R-Lemay, which would require the Missouri Department of Transportation to establish minimum yellow-light-change interval times for traffic-control devices, has been signed into law by Gov. Jay Nixon.

“According to a Department of Transportation study in Texas, a one second reduction in time for yellow lights resulted in a 110 percent increase in violations written,” Lembke stated in a news release. “Lengthening that timeframe by one second reduced these red-light violations by 53 percent. And using the national formula proposed in Senate Bill 611, collisions decreased by 43 percent at intersections in states that have adopted this standard.”

More specifically, the minimal yellow-light-change interval time would fall in line with nationally recognized engineering standards established by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. In addition, SB 611 would prohibit yellow-light-change interval times for traffic-control devices from being less than the recognized national standard.

Additional safety measures provided in this bill are amendments to the Missouri “Move Over” law. Drivers are now required to make a lane change or “move over” when approaching a stationary MoDOT vehicle with white or amber lights, or any MoDOT vehicle marked as emergency response or motorist assistance operated by a MoDOT employee.

SB 611 also includes a provision for the director of the Missouri Department of Revenue to authorize agents other than revenue offices to issue temporary tags for vehicles. Fees charged cannot be more than $5 per tag.

“This bill is all about safety at intersections across our state,” Lembke stated in the release. “With such wide, bipartisan support in both the Missouri Senate and the House — and now an endorsement from the governor — Missouri will show other states that a slight change in the runtime for yellow lights is what’s needed to reduce accidents in intersections throughout the state.”