Question: With all the power outages in the past few weeks there have been a lot of intersections where traffic lights are out. Would you please remind everyone of the four-way stop procedure that it seems most have forgotten or never learned?
Oddly enough, this seems to be a difficult task for many drivers. Perhaps it has been a lack of opportunity to practice the requirements that leaves them mentally unprepared to realize what is required and then do it. This creates a very dangerous situation at the intersection and the case of Stevens v Sleeman illustrates this.
The requirements for the situation are simply stated:
• If the traffic signals are not functioning at an intersection, the driver must stop before entering the intersection.
• If two vehicles stop at about the same time, drivers must yield to the vehicle on the right.
• If a vehicle is already in the intersection, drivers must yield and allow it to proceed.
My personal experience is much the same as the reader who requested this article. Don't ever expect traffic to stop as required!
Take extra time to thoroughly scan the intersection and its approaches to insure that you identify all hazards. The best "rule of thumb" here is if you can't see, you can't go!
This situation is especially hazardous because stopped vehicles can hide other traffic from you or you from other traffic. You may have to carefully creep into the intersection until you are certain that it is safe to proceed.
When the traffic lights are working, the side impact or t-bone crash is most common when making a left turn. When the lights are not working being hit from either side while travelling straight through is also likely.
You and your passengers are especially vulnerable as the sides of your vehicle have the least protection in comparison to frontal or rear end crashes.
If other drivers will not give you the right of way, it may be wise to make a right turn instead. Find another nearby intersection where it is safe and then return to your original route.
Tim Schewe is a retired constable with many years of traffic law enforcement. To comment or learn more, please visit DriveSmartBC.ca
