§ 31-17-1 — § 31-17-1. Right-of-way in absence of signs or signals.

§ 31-17-1. Right-of-way in absence of signs or signals.

(a) The driver of a vehicle approaching an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to a vehicle which has entered the intersection from a different highway.

(b) When two vehicles enter an intersection from different highways at approximately the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right.

(c) The right-of-way rules declared in subsections (a) and (b) of this section are modified at through highways and otherwise as stated in this chapter.

(d) Violations of this section are subject to the fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4, unless bodily injury, serious bodily injury or death occurs to any person other than the offending operator under this section.

(e) When bodily injury of any person other than the offending operator of any motor vehicle is caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined two hundred dollars ($200). When serious bodily injury of any person other than the offending operator of any motor vehicle is caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined five hundred dollars ($500) and his/her driver's license shall be suspended for a period of three (3) months. When the death of any person other than the offending operator of any motor vehicle is caused by violation of this section, the offending operator shall be fined one thousand dollars ($1,000) and his/her driver's license shall be suspended for a period of one year.

(f) As used in this section, "serious bodily injury� means physical injury that creates a substantial risk of death or causes serious physical disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ.

Legislative History

P.L. 1950, ch. 2595, art. 28, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 31-17-1; P.L. 2006, ch. 216, § 65; P.L. 2013, ch. 339, § 2; P.L. 2013, ch. 414, § 2.