Oregon Revised Statutes

Or. Rev. Stat. § 811.265 (2026)

Driver failure to obey traffic control device; penalty

✓ current as of May 2026
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      811.265 Driver failure to obey traffic control device; penalty. (1) A person commits the offense of driver failure to obey a traffic control device if the person drives a vehicle and the person does any of the following:

      (a) Fails to obey the directions of any traffic control device.

      (b) Fails to obey any specific traffic control device described in ORS 811.260 in the manner required by that section.

      (2) A person is not subject to this section if the person is doing any of the following:

      (a) Following the directions of a police officer.

      (b) Driving an emergency vehicle or ambulance in accordance with the privileges granted those vehicles under ORS 820.300.

      (c) Properly proceeding on a red light as authorized under ORS 811.360.

      (d) Driving in a funeral procession led by a funeral lead vehicle or under the direction of the driver of a funeral escort vehicle.

      (e) Properly entering an intersection or executing a turn at a stop sign as authorized under ORS 814.414.

      (f) Properly entering an intersection or executing a turn at a flashing red signal as authorized under ORS 814.416.

      (3) The offense described in this section, driver failure to obey a traffic control device, is a Class B traffic violation. [1983 c.338 §608; 1991 c.482 §13; 2015 c.147 §3; 2019 c.683 §5]

 

      Note: The amendments to 811.265 by section 9, chapter 278, Oregon Laws 2025, become operative January 1, 2027. See section 24, chapter 278, Oregon Laws 2025. The text that is operative on and after January 1, 2027, is set forth for the user’s convenience.

      811.265. (1) A person commits the offense of driver failure to obey a traffic control device if the person drives a vehicle and the person does any of the following:

      (a) Fails to obey the directions of any traffic control device.

      (b) Fails to obey any specific traffic control device described in ORS 811.260 in the manner required by that section.

      (2) A person is not subject to this section if the person is doing any of the following:

      (a) Following the directions of a police officer.

      (b) Driving an emergency vehicle, organ transport vehicle or ambulance in accordance with the privileges granted those vehicles under ORS 820.300.

      (c) Properly proceeding on a red light as authorized under ORS 811.360.

      (d) Driving in a funeral procession led by a funeral lead vehicle or under the direction of the driver of a funeral escort vehicle.

      (e) Properly entering an intersection or executing a turn at a stop sign as authorized under ORS 814.414.

      (f) Properly entering an intersection or executing a turn at a flashing red signal as authorized under ORS 814.416.

      (3) The offense described in this section, driver failure to obey a traffic control device, is a Class B traffic violation.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 14 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 1986–2023 · leading case: State v. Boly, 149 P.3d 1237 (Or. Ct. App. 2006).
State v. Boly, 149 P.3d 1237 (Or. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 5× “ORS 811.265. He challenges the sufficiency of the evidence in several respects.”
State v. Coy, 537 P.3d 178 (Or. Ct. App. 2023). · cites it 11× “436, contends that the trial court erred in denying her motion to dismiss the citation because the state failed to prove that she was properly served with the citation.”
State v. Hart, 735 P.2d 1283 (Or. Ct. App. 1987). “ORS 811.265 prohibits a driver from disobeying a traffic control signal.”
State v. Karim, 522 P.3d 24 (Or. Ct. App. 2022). “Defendant was cited for failure to obey a traffic signal, ORS 811.265; that citation is not at issue in this appeal.”
State v. Finlay, 12 P.3d 999 (Or. Ct. App. 2000). “Krieger then returned defendant’s documents, issued defendant a citation for failing to obey a traffic control device, ORS 811.265, and told defendant that he was free to leave.”
State v. Mohler, 792 P.2d 1239 (Or. Ct. App. 1990). “ORS 811.265. He contends that the court erred in failing to record the trial.”
State v. Coy (Or. Ct. App. 2023). · cites it 10× “Defendant appeals from the trial court’s judgment convicting her of failure to obey a traffic control device under ORS 811.265 for running a red light. Defendant, who was issued the citation based on a photo red light camera, ORS 810.”
State v. Worthington, 296 P.3d 624 (Or. Ct. App. 2013). “ORS 811.265(l)(a). Defendant was then convicted of that violation by default when he failed to appear at the time and place scheduled for trial.”
Tew v. Driver & Motor Veh. Servs. Branch, 40 P.3d 551 (Or. Ct. App. 2002). “ORS 811.265. Petitioner does not contend that he was unable to stop safely because the light was yellow when he entered the intersection.”
State v. Stoner, 713 P.2d 637 (Or. Ct. App. 1986). “…338, § 978, and replaced by Or Laws 1983, ch 338, § 173, as amended by Or Laws 1985, ch 16, § 57; ch 337, § 2 (now ORS 813.160), effective January 1,1986. Or Laws 1983, ch 338, § 981. Former ORS 487.120(1) was repealed by Or Laws 1983, ch 338, § 978 and replaced by Or Laws…”
State v. Posey, 463 P.3d 551 (Or. Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 5× “An officer had pulled defendant over for failure to obey the traffic control device of a stop sign, ORS 811.265 and ORS 811.260(15), after observing defendant stop his car with the front tires resting on the stop line and the front of the car extending beyond it.”
State v. Robleto, 322 Or. App. 559 (Or. Ct. App. 2022). “Defendant appeals from a judgment finding him guilty of the violation of failure to obey traffic control devices, ORS 811.265, and challenges the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the trial court’s findings.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 811.265(1) — 1 case
State v. Stoner, 713 P.2d 637 (Or. Ct. App. 1986). “…338, § 978, and replaced by Or Laws 1983, ch 338, § 173, as amended by Or Laws 1985, ch 16, § 57; ch 337, § 2 (now ORS 813.160), effective January 1,1986. Or Laws 1983, ch 338, § 981. Former ORS 487.120(1) was repealed by Or Laws 1983, ch 338, § 978 and replaced by Or Laws…”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 811.265(1)(b) — 2 cases
State v. Posey, 463 P.3d 551 (Or. Ct. App. 2020). “An officer had pulled defendant over for failure to obey the traffic control device of a stop sign, ORS 811.265 and ORS 811.260(15), after observing defendant stop his car with the front tires resting on the stop line and the front of the car extending beyond it.”
State v. Stern-Carusone, 326 Or. App. 97 (Or. Ct. App. 2023).
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 811.265(l)(a) — 1 case
State v. Worthington, 296 P.3d 624 (Or. Ct. App. 2013). “ORS 811.265(l)(a). Defendant was then convicted of that violation by default when he failed to appear at the time and place scheduled for trial.”
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