Introduced By: Representatives Ajello, Hetherington, Palangio, Aiken and Slater
Date Introduced : February 2, 1999
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 31-16-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-16 entitled "Starting, Stopping, and Turns" is hereby amended to read as follows:
31-16-2. Manner of turning at intersection. -- The driver of a vehicle intending to turn at an intersection shall do so as follows:
(1) Right turns. - Both the approach for a right turn and a right turn shall be made as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway.
{ADD Pedestrians intending to cross a lane of traffic which is required to stop or yield by a red traffic light, stop or yield sign or other traffic control device shall be granted the right of way. ADD}
(2) Left turns on two way roadways. - At any intersection where traffic is permitted to move in both directions on each roadway entering the intersections, an approach for a left turn shall be made in that portion of the right half of the roadway nearest the center line thereof and by passing to the right of the center line where it enters the intersection, and, after entering the intersection, the left turn shall be made so as to leave the intersection to the right of the center line of the roadway being entered. Whenever practicable the left turn shall be made in that portion of the intersection to the left of the center of the intersection.
{ADD Pedestrians intending to cross a lane of traffic which is required to stop or yield by a red traffic light, stop or yield sign or other traffic control device shall be granted the right of way. ADD}
(3) Left turns on other than two way roadways. - At any intersection where traffic is restricted to one direction on one or more of the roadways, the driver of a vehicle intending to turn left at an intersection shall approach the intersection in the extreme left-hand lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the direction of travel of the vehicle, and, after entering the intersection, the left turn shall be made so as to leave the intersection, as nearly as practicable, in the left-hand lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the direction upon the roadway being entered.
{ADD Pedestrians intending to cross a lane of traffic which is required to stop or yield by a red traffic light, stop or yield sign or other traffic control device shall be granted the right of way. ADD}
SECTION 2. Chapter 31-16 of the General Laws entitled "Starting, Stopping, and Turns" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
{ADD 31-16-6.1. Penalties. -- ADD} {ADD Any person who violates the provisions of section 31-16-2 pertaining to the right of way of pedestrians upon conviction thereof, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50). ADD}
SECTION 3. Sections 31-17-2, 31-17-4 and 31-17-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-17 entitled "Right-of-Way" are hereby amended to read as follows:
31-17-2. {DEL Vehicle turning left. DEL} {ADD
Vehicle turning left or right. -- ADD} The driver of a vehicle
within an intersection intended to turn to the left {ADD or right ADD}
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 {DEL , DEL}
{ADD or shall yield to a pedestrian intending to cross within a
crosswalk which the driver of the vehicle must travel to make
such left or right turn, ADD} but the driver, having so yielded
and having given a signal when and as required by chapter 16 of
this title, may make the left {ADD or right ADD} turn, and, the drivers
of all other vehicles approaching the intersection from the opposite
direction shall yield the right of way to the vehicle making the
left {ADD or right ADD} turn. {ADD ADD}
31-17-4. Vehicle entering stop or yield intersection. -- (a) Preferential right of way at an intersection may be indicated by stop signs or yield signs.
(b) Except when directed to proceed by a police officer or traffic-control signal, every driver of a vehicle approaching a stop intersection indicated by a stop sign shall stop at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or, if none, then at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway before entering the intersection. After having stopped, the driver shall yield the right of way to {ADD any pedestrian intending to cross the lane of traffic in a crosswalk or ADD} any vehicle which has entered the intersection from another highway or which is approaching so closely on the highway as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time when the driver is moving across or within the intersection.
(c) The driver of a vehicle approaching a yield sign shall, in obedience to the sign, slow down to a speed reasonable for the existing conditions and, if required for safety to stop, shall stop at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or, if none, then at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway. After slowing or stopping, the driver shall yield the right of way to {ADD any pedestrian intending to cross the lane of traffic in a crosswalk or ADD} any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another highway so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time such driver is moving across or within the intersection.
31-17-5. Entering from private road or driveway. -- The driver of a vehicle about to enter or cross a highway from a private road or driveway shall yield the right of way to all vehicles approaching on the highway {ADD and to all pedestrians attempting to cross the private road driveway or highway ADD}.
SECTION 4. Chapter 31-17 of the General Laws entitled "Right-of-Way" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
{ADD 31-17-5.1. Penalties. -- ADD} {ADD Any person who violates any provision of sections 31-17-1, 31-17-2, 31-17-3, 31-17-4 or 31-17-5, pertaining to the right of way of pedestrians upon conviction thereof, shall be sentenced to pay a fine not more than fifty dollars ($50). ADD}
SECTION 5. Sections 31-18-4 and 31-18-16 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-18 entitled "Pedestrians" are hereby amended to read as follows:
31-18-4. Overtaking of vehicle stopped for pedestrian. -- 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 the stopped vehicle.
{ADD Whenever there are no markings to the contrary, there shall be a presumption that there is an unmarked crosswalk at any intersection. ADD}
31-18-16. Penalty for violations as to blind persons. --
Any person who violates any provision of sections 31-18-13 --
31-18-15, inclusive, upon conviction thereof, shall be sentenced
to pay a fine not more than {DEL one hundred dollars ($100). DEL}
{ADD two hundred fifty dollars ($250). ADD}
SECTION 6. Chapter 31-18 of the General Laws entitled "Pedestrians" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
{ADD 31-18-22. Public Information and Education. -- ADD} {ADD A program of public information and education designed to educate the motoring public to the rights of pedestrians, shall be developed by the Rhode Island department of transportation's governor's office on highway safety. The Rhode Island department of transportation's office on highway safety, in cooperation with the Rhode Island department of health, shall study the effectiveness of the implementation of this section and shall submit to the general assembly a report containing its findings by July 1, 2000. ADD}
SECTION 7. This act shall take effect upon passage.
