2013 -- S 0659

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LC01473

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES - TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES

     Introduced By: Senators McCaffrey, Felag, and Walaska

     Date Introduced: March 06, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 31-13-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-13 entitled "Traffic

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Control Devices" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     31-13-6. Specifications and meaning of traffic lights Meaning of traffic control

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signals. -- Whenever traffic is controlled by traffic control signals exhibiting the words "go",

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"caution", or "stop", or exhibiting different colored lights successively one at a time, or with

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arrows, the following colors only shall be used, and the terms and lights shall indicate and apply

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to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as follows:

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      (1) Green alone or "go."

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      (i) Vehicular traffic facing the signal may proceed straight through or turn right or left

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unless a sign at the place prohibits either a right or left turn. But vehicular traffic, including

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vehicles turning right or left, shall yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and to pedestrians

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lawfully within the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk at the time the signal is exhibited.

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      (ii) Pedestrians facing the signal may proceed across the roadway within any marked or

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unmarked crosswalk.

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      (2) Yellow alone or "caution" when shown following the green or "go" signal.

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      (i) Vehicular traffic facing the signal is warned by it that the red or "stop" signal will be

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exhibited immediately afterwards, and the vehicular traffic shall not enter or be crossing the

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intersection when the red or "stop" signal is exhibited.

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      (ii) Pedestrians facing the signal are advised by it that there is insufficient time to cross

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the roadway, and any pedestrian then starting to cross shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles.

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      (3) Red alone or "stop."

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      (i) Vehicular traffic facing the signal shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near

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side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection, and shall remain standing

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until the green or "go" is shown alone, and shall not, prior to reaching the intersection, make any

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turn over or through private property in order to avoid the signal. A right hand turn shall be

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permitted after vehicular traffic reaches a complete stop, at intersections when safety would

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permit the a turn and no sign forbids it. Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated

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in section 31-41.1-4.

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      (ii) No pedestrian facing the signal shall enter the roadway unless he or she can do so

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safely and without interfering with any vehicular traffic.

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      (4) Red with green arrow.

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      (i) Vehicular traffic facing the signal may cautiously enter the intersection only to make

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the movement indicated by the arrow, but shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully

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within a crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.

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      (ii) No pedestrian facing the signal shall enter the roadway unless he or she can do so

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safely and without interfering with any vehicular traffic.

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      (5) Red arrow.

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      (i) Vehicular traffic facing the signal shall stop and shall remain standing until the red

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arrow turns green.

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     Traffic control signals shall have the following meanings for vehicles and pedestrians:

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     (1) Steady green signals shall have the following meanings:

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     (i) Vehicular traffic facing a circular green signal is permitted to proceed straight through

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or turn right or left or make a U-turn movement, except as such movement is prohibited by lane-

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use signs, turn prohibition signs, lane markings, separate turn signal, or other traffic control

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devices.

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     (A) Vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning right or left or making a U-turn

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movement, shall yield the right-of-way to:

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     (I) Pedestrians lawfully within an associated crosswalk; and

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     (II) Other vehicles lawfully within the intersection.

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     (B) Vehicular traffic turning left or making a U-turn movement to the left shall yield the

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right-of-way to other vehicles approaching from the opposite direction so closely as to constitute

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an immediate hazard during the time when such turning vehicle is moving across or within the

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intersection.

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     (ii) Pedestrians facing a circular green signal, unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian

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signal or other traffic control device are permitted to proceed across the roadway within any

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marked or unmarked associated crosswalk. The pedestrian shall yield the right-of-way to vehicles

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lawfully within the intersection or so close as to create an immediate hazard at the time that the

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green signal is first displayed.

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     (iii) Vehicular traffic facing a green arrow signal, displayed alone or in combination with

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another signal is permitted to cautiously enter the intersection only to make the movement

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indicated by such arrow, or such other movement as is permitted by other signals displayed at the

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same time.

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     (A) Vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning right or left or making a U-turn

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movement, shall yield the right-of-way to:

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     (I) Pedestrians lawfully within an associated crosswalk; and

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     (II) Other vehicles lawfully within the intersection.

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     (iv) Pedestrians facing a green arrow signal, unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian

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signal or other traffic control device, shall not cross the roadway.

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     (2) Steady yellow signals shall have the following meanings:

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     (i) Vehicular traffic facing a steady circular yellow signal is warned that the related green

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movement is being terminated and that a steady red signal will be displayed immediately

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thereafter when vehicular traffic shall not enter the intersection. The rules set forth concerning

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vehicular operation under the movement(s) being terminated shall continue to apply while the

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steady circular yellow signal indication is displayed.

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     (ii) Vehicular traffic facing a steady yellow arrow signal is warned that the related green

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arrow movement or the related flashing arrow movement is being terminated. The rules set forth

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concerning vehicular operation under the movement(s) being terminated shall continue to apply

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while the steady yellow arrow signal is displayed.

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     (iii) Pedestrians facing a steady circular yellow or yellow arrow signal, unless otherwise

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directed by a pedestrian signal or other traffic control device shall not start to cross the roadway.

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     (3) Steady red signals shall have the following meanings:

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     (i) Vehicular traffic facing a steady circular red signal, unless entering the intersection to

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make another movement permitted by another signal, shall stop at a clearly marked stop line; but

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if there is no stop line, traffic shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the

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intersection; or if there is no crosswalk, then before entering the intersection; and shall remain

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stopped until a signal to proceed is displayed, or as provided below:

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     (A) Except when a traffic control device is in a place prohibiting a turn on red or a steady

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red arrow signal is displayed, vehicular traffic facing a steady circular red signal is permitted to

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enter the intersection to turn right. The right to proceed with the turn shall be subject to the rules

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applicable after making a stop at a stop sign.

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     (ii) Vehicular traffic facing a steady red arrow signal shall nor enter the intersection to

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make the movement indicated by the arrow, unless entering the intersection to make another

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movement permitted by another signal, and shall stop at a clearly marked stop line; but if there is

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no stop line, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection; or if there is no

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crosswalk, then before entering the intersection; and shall remain stopped until a signal or other

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traffic control device permitting the movement indicated by such red arrow is displayed.

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     (iii) Pedestrians facing a steady circular red or steady red arrow signal shall not enter the

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roadway, unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian signal or other traffic control device.

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     (4) Flashing yellow signals shall have the following meanings:

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     (i) Vehicular traffic on an approach to an intersection facing a flashing circular yellow

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signal is permitted to cautiously enter the intersection to proceed straight through or turn right or

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left or make a U-turn except as such movement is prohibited by lane-use signs, turn prohibition

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signs, lane markings, turn signals, or other traffic control devices.

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     (A) Such vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning right or left or making a U-turn,

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shall yield the right-of-way to:

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     (I) Pedestrians lawfully within an associated crosswalk; and

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     (II) Other vehicles lawfully within the intersection.

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     (B) Vehicular traffic turning left or making a U-turn to the left shall yield the right-of-

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way to other vehicles approaching from the opposite direction so closely as to constitute an

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immediate hazard during the time when such turning vehicle is moving across or within the

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intersection.

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     (2) When a flashing circular yellow signal(s) is displayed as a beacon to supplement

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another traffic control device, road users are notified that there is a need to pay extra attention to

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the message contained thereon or that the regulatory or warning requirements of the other traffic

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control device, which may not be applicable at all times, are currently in force.

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     (3) Vehicular traffic, on an approach to an intersection facing a flashing yellow arrow

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signal, displayed alone or in combination with another signal is permitted to cautiously enter the

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intersection only to make the movement indicated by such arrow, or other such movement as is

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permitted by other signal displayed at the same time.

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     (i) Vehicular traffic, including vehicles turning right or left or making a U-turn, shall

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yield the right-of-way to:

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     (A) Pedestrians lawfully within an associated crosswalk; and

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     (B) Other vehicles lawfully within the intersection.

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     (I) Vehicular traffic turning left or making a U-turn to the left shall yield the right-of-way

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to other vehicles approaching from the opposite direction so closely as to constitute an immediate

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hazard during the time when such turning vehicle is moving across or within the intersection.

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     (4) Pedestrians facing any flashing yellow signal at an intersection, unless otherwise

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directed by a pedestrian signal or other traffic control device are permitted to proceed across the

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roadway within any marked or unmarked associated crosswalk. Pedestrians shall yield the right-

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of-way to vehicles lawfully within the intersection at the time that the flashing yellow signal is

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first displayed.

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      (5) Flashing red signals shall have the following meanings:

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     (i) Vehicular traffic, on an approach to an intersection, facing a flashing circular red

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signal shall stop at a clearly marked stop line; but if there is no stop line, before entering the

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crosswalk on the near side of the intersection; or if there is no crosswalk, at the point nearest the

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intersecting roadway where the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting

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roadway before entering the intersection. The right to proceed shall be subject to the rules

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applicable after making a stop at a stop sign.

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     (ii) When a flashing circular red signal(s) is displayed as a beacon to supplement another

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traffic control device, road users are notified that there is a need to pay extra attention to the

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message contained thereon or that the regulatory requirements of the other traffic control device,

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which may not be applicable at all times, are currently in force.

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     (iii) Vehicular traffic, on an approach to an intersection, facing a flashing red arrow

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signal if intending to turn in the direction indicated by the arrow shall stop at a clearly marked

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stop line; but if there is no stop line, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the

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intersection; or if there is no crosswalk, at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where the

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driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway before entering the

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intersection. The right to proceed with the turn shall be limited to the direction indicated by the

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arrow and shall be subject to the rules applicable after making a stop at a stop sign.

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     (iv) Pedestrians facing any flashing red signal at an intersection, unless otherwise

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directed by a pedestrian control signal or other traffic control device, are permitted to proceed

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across the roadway within any marked or unmarked associated crosswalk. Pedestrians shall yield

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the right-of-way to vehicles lawfully within the intersection at the time that the flashing red signal

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is first displayed.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC01473

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES - TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES

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     This act would update outdated and inapplicable provisions of the Rhode Island general

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laws to correspond with the standards for the meaning of traffic signals as included in the Manual

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on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which is published by the U.S. Department of

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Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC01473

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