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2013 -- S 0350 SUBSTITUTE A | |
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LC00246/SUB A | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
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IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
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JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013 | |
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____________ | |
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A N A C T | |
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RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- PASSING, USING OF LANES, AND | |
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RULES OF THE ROAD | |
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Introduced By: Senator Michael J. McCaffrey | |
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Date Introduced: February 13, 2013 | |
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Referred To: Senate Judiciary | |
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It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
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SECTION 1. Section 31-15-12.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-15 entitled "Passing, |
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Use of Lanes, and Rules of the Road" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
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31-15-12.1. Entering intersections. -- (a) The driver of a motor vehicle shall not enter an |
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intersection whether or not any traffic signal is green unless there is sufficient space in the |
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roadway he or she is about to enter beyond the intersection to receive his or her vehicle without |
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blocking the intersection. Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in section 31- |
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41.1-4, unless bodily injury, serious bodily injury or death occurs to any person other than the |
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offending operator under this section. |
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(b) When bodily injury of any person other than the offending operator of any motor |
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vehicle is caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined two hundred |
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dollars ($200). When serious bodily injury of any person other than the offending operator of any |
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motor vehicle is caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined five |
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hundred dollars ($500) and his/her driver's license shall be suspended for a period of three (3) |
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months. When the death of any person other than the offending operator of any motor vehicle is |
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caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined one thousand dollars |
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($1,000) and his/her driver's license shall be suspended for a period of one year. |
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(c) As used in this section, "serious bodily injury" means physical injury that creates a |
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substantial risk of death or causes serious physical disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment |
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of the function of any bodily member or organ. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 31-17-1, 31-17-2, 31-17-4, 31-17-7 and 31-17-8 of the General |
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Laws in Chapter 31-17 entitled "Right-of-Way" are hereby amended to read as follows: |
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31-17-1. Right-of-way in absence of signs or signals. -- (a) The driver of a vehicle |
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approaching an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to a vehicle which has entered the |
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intersection from a different highway. |
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(b) When two vehicles enter an intersection from different highways at approximately |
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the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on |
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the right. |
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(c) The right-of-way rules declared in subsections (a) and (b) of this section are modified |
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at through highways and otherwise as stated in this chapter. |
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(d) Violations of this section are subject to the fines enumerated in section 31-41.1-4, |
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unless bodily injury, serious bodily injury or death occurs to any person other than the offending |
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operator under this section. |
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(e) When bodily injury of any person other than the offending operator of any motor |
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vehicle is caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined two hundred |
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dollars ($200). When serious bodily injury of any person other than the offending operator of any |
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motor vehicle is caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined five |
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hundred dollars ($500) and his/her driver's license shall be suspended for a period of three (3) |
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months. When the death of any person other than the offending operator of any motor vehicle is |
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caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined one thousand dollars |
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($1,000) and his/her driver's license shall be suspended for a period of one year. |
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(f) As used in this section, "serious bodily injury" means physical injury that creates a |
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substantial risk of death or causes serious physical disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment |
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of the function of any bodily member or organ. |
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31-17-2. Vehicle turning left or right. -- (a) The driver of a vehicle within an |
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intersection intended to turn to the left or right shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle |
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approaching from the opposite direction which is within the intersection or so close to it as to |
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constitute an immediate hazard, or shall yield to a pedestrian intending to cross within a |
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crosswalk which the driver of the vehicle must travel to make the left or right turn. The driver, |
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having so yielded and having given a signal when and as required by chapter 16 of this title, may |
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make the left or right turn, and the drivers of all other vehicles approaching the intersection from |
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the opposite direction shall yield the right of way to the vehicle making the left or right turn. |
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Violations of this section are subject to the fines enumerated in section 31-41.1-4, unless bodily |
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injury, serious bodily injury or death occurs to any person other than the offending operator under |
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this section. |
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(b) When bodily injury of any person other than the offending operator of any motor |
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vehicle is caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined two hundred |
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dollars ($200). When serious bodily injury of any person other than the offending operator of any |
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motor vehicle is caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined five |
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hundred dollars ($500) and his/her driver's license shall be suspended for a period of three (3) |
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months. When the death of any person other than the offending operator of any motor vehicle is |
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caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined one thousand dollars |
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($1,000) and his/her driver's license shall be suspended for a period of one year. |
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(c) As used in this section, "serious bodily injury" means physical injury that creates a |
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substantial risk of death or causes serious physical disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment |
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of the function of any bodily member or organ. |
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31-17-4. Vehicle entering stop or yield intersection. -- (a) Preferential right-of-way at |
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an intersection may be indicated by stop signs or yield signs. |
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(b) Except when directed to proceed by a police officer or traffic-control signal, every |
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driver of a vehicle approaching a stop intersection indicated by a stop sign shall stop at a clearly |
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marked stop line, but if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, |
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or, if none, then at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where the driver has a view of |
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approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway before entering the intersection. After having |
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stopped, the driver shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian intending to cross the lane of |
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traffic in a crosswalk or any vehicle which has entered the intersection from another highway or |
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which is approaching so closely on the highway as to constitute an immediate hazard during the |
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time when the driver is moving across or within the intersection. |
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(c) The driver of a vehicle approaching a yield sign shall, in obedience to the sign, slow |
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down to a speed reasonable for the existing conditions and, if required for safety to stop, shall |
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stop at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of |
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the intersection, or, if none, then at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where the driver |
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has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway. After slowing or stopping, the |
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driver shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian intending to cross the lane of traffic in a |
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crosswalk or any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another highway so closely as to |
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constitute an immediate hazard during the time the driver is moving across or within the |
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intersection. |
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(d) Violations of this section are subject to the fines enumerated in section 31-41.1-4, |
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unless bodily injury, serious bodily injury or death occurs to any person other than the offending |
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operator under this section. |
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(e) When bodily injury of any person other than the offending operator of any motor |
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vehicle is caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined two hundred |
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dollars ($200). When serious bodily injury of any person other than the offending operator of any |
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motor vehicle is caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined five |
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hundred dollars ($500) and his/her driver's license shall be suspended for a period of three (3) |
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months. When the death of any person other than the offending operator of any motor vehicle is |
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caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined one thousand dollars |
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($1,000) and his/her driver's license shall be suspended for a period of one year. |
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(f) As used in this section, "serious bodily injury" means physical injury that creates a |
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substantial risk of death or causes serious physical disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment |
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of the function of any bodily member or organ. |
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31-17-7. Right-of-way of fire companies. -- The officers and men and women of the fire |
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department, of any fire engine or hose company, or of any protective department or company |
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duly chartered and organized under the laws of this state for the protection of property from fire |
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in any city or town, with their registered fire apparatus, shall have the right of way while going to |
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a fire or upon any alarm of fire, while responding to an emergency call; when on duty at any fire, |
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in, upon, or through any street, highway, lane, avenue, or alley in the city or town; and when |
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exiting or entering a fire station, garage or other department facility. Every person in or upon or |
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owning any vehicle, or upon the street, highway, lane, avenue, or alley, who shall willfully or |
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maliciously refuse the right of way to, or shall in any way willfully or maliciously obstruct or |
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retard any registered fire apparatus of the fire department, fire company, protective department, or |
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company, or any of the officers or men and women, while going to a fire or upon any alarm of |
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fire, while responding to an emergency call, or while on duty at any fire, in, upon, or through the |
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street, highway, lane, avenue, or alley, or when exiting or entering a fire station, garage or other |
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department facility shall be fined not exceeding |
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($200). However, the rights pursuant to this section of the protective department or company shall |
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be subject, at all times, to the rights pursuant to this section of the fire department, fire engine |
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company, and hose company. |
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31-17-8. Right-of-way at rotary. -- (a) In the absence of any traffic control device or |
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sign, the driver of a vehicle about to enter a rotary, regardless of the direction from which the |
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vehicle is approaching, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles already in the rotary. The state |
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traffic commission shall determine the location of yield signs at rotaries. Violations of this section |
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are subject to fines enumerated in section 31-41.1-4, unless bodily injury, serious bodily injury or |
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death occurs to any person other than the offending operator under this section. |
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(b) When bodily injury of any person other than the offending operator of any motor |
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vehicle is caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined two hundred |
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dollars ($200). When serious bodily injury of any person other than the offending operator of any |
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motor vehicle is caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined five |
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hundred dollars ($500) and his/her driver's license shall be suspended for a period of three (3) |
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months. When the death of any person other than the offending operator of any motor vehicle is |
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caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined one thousand dollars |
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($1,000) and his/her driver's license shall be suspended for a period of one year. |
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(c) As used in this section, "serious bodily injury" means physical injury that creates a |
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substantial risk of death or causes serious physical disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment |
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of the function of any bodily member or organ. |
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC00246/SUB A | |
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EXPLANATION | |
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BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
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OF | |
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A N A C T | |
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RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- PASSING, USING OF LANES, AND | |
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RULES OF THE ROAD | |
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*** | |
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This act would create additional penalties for motor vehicle violations at intersections and |
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rights-of-way that cause serious bodily injury or death. |
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This act would take effect upon passage. |
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LC00246/SUB A | |
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